A Christmas To Remember
by tmnt-luver
Summary: Read about April O'Neill's niece coming to stay for Christmas and meeting the TMNT ... it's a Christmas she'll never forget (fun, family and friends) ... feel free to R & R ... Last part up ... thanks so much for the reviews! xxx
1. Default Chapter

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 1: Decorations and Discovery.  
  
"I don't know why people bother putting this stuff up when it just gets ripped back down again!" Raphael moaned as he lifted up some tinsel and passed it to Michelangelo, who was standing on a stepladder.  
  
"Aww, stop moaning Raph! Christmas is fun!" Mikey stretched out his arms and stuck some tinsel on his bedroom wall, securing it with blue tack. "I don't know why you don't just lighten up bro, and get into the Christmas spirit!"  
  
"I'll give you Christmas spirit", Raph mumbled under his breath.  
  
Mikey smiled. "I heard that bro! Here", Mikey grabbed a long strip of tinsel and put it round Raph's neck. He got off the stepladder and looked at his fuming brother. "Aww, red tinsel really goes with your bandanna!" Mikey frowned slightly. "And also your very, very red face, what's wrong with you?"  
  
Raph clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. "How about a Christmas sandwich, Mikey?"  
  
Mikey relaxed a little and shrugged. "Sure, whatever"  
  
"I meant a 'knuckle sandwich'!"  
  
"Hey! Chill bro!" Mikey ducked when he saw Raph's hand level with his head.  
  
Raph grabbed the tinsel from around his neck and slung it on the floor.  
  
Mikey got up and smiled. "Aww, what did the tinsel ever do to you?"  
  
"Mikey!"  
  
"Chill bro! Just having a little fun!" Mikey grabbed the tinsel from the floor and climbed back on the stepladder. "Now pass me the orange tinsel, I want one that matches my colour scheme!"  
  
Raph sighed and passed Mikey his most favourite tinsel colour. "I'm going to get a drink".  
  
"Don't forget we have to put the little tree in here next!" Mikey shouted to his back when Raph was in the doorway.  
  
Raph smiled slightly and closed the bedroom door behind him. Mikey always loves this time of year; he thought to himself, I don't think they'll ever be a time when he doesn't like Christmas!  
  
//  
  
Raph entered the kitchen and groaned. "Not you too!"  
  
Leo was standing on a kitchen chair, sticking tinsel to the ceiling and it happened to be blue tinsel. "Huh?" He got down and slid the chair back near the table. "What's up Raph?"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Nothing. Just Mikey's all crazed about this Christmas stuff!" He walked over to the fridge and opened it. "Want a can of coke, bro?"  
  
"Sure", Leo sat down at the table and smiled. "What's Mikey doing now?"  
  
Raph closed the fridge and sat down opposite his brother, handing him his can of coke. "His traditional 'I-love-orange-tinsel' gig"  
  
Leo laughed at the fed-up tone in Raph's voice. "You and I both know that Mikey's like that EVERY year Raph! He's been doing his 'orange-tinsel' gig since he knew what tinsel was!"  
  
Raph gave his brother a small smile. "It just annoying sometimes, next year I'm spending Christmas with April!"  
  
Leo smiled. "That's not a good idea. You know Mikey's always round there decorating April's apartment!"  
  
"There's no escape!" Raph joked.  
  
Leo opened his can of coke and took a sip. "Well you know Donnie's just as bad as Mikey, he's always brewing up new inventions! Remember the burping Santa?"  
  
Raph scrunched up his face as a memory from last year formed in his mind. "Don't remind me! That thing kept me up ALL night!" Raph opened his can of coke.  
  
Leo nodded. "Yeah, until Master Splinter asked him to turn it off. This Christmas he's planning on doing a plain sleigh with just the 'Jingle Bells' tune".  
  
Raph frowned and asked; "Didn't he do that about two years ago?"  
  
Leo nodded again. "Yeah", he took another gulp of his coke. "But remember, it blew up!" He added with a smile.  
  
Raph smiled at the memory. "Yeah. Donnie was crushed!"  
  
They carried on talking for a while. Remembering Christmas after Christmas, each one involving Mikey's tinsel-disease, or Donnie's Christmas inventions.  
  
Leo enjoyed his brother's company. He laughed when Raph reminded him of the time when they were five. Leo had pushed Raph over for something and he had head-butted the tree. Leo smiled to himself. He and his brother didn't always get along. But they did share some good times together. Even in the holiday season.  
  
"Remember when Mikey kept planting the Christmas whoopee cushion on you every time you sat down? I was in stitches for weeks!" Raph laughed at the memory.  
  
Leo smiled slightly. "It wasn't funny! I couldn't meditate because every time I sat down that thing went off!"  
  
Raph stopped laughing and smiled at his brother. "I thought it sounded pretty realistic".  
  
Leo grinned. "I have to agree with you there, it did sound realistic".  
  
Raph nodded and finished off his drink. He preferred to talk to Leo then trying to knock him out. And Splinter would prefer it if they didn't argue at such a festive time of the year. Raph sighed, he tried not to fight with his brother but sometimes it was hard not to. "I have to help Mikey put up his little Christmas tree, and" - he added with a smile - "wrap some orange tinsel around his neck".  
  
Raph got up and chucked his empty coke can in the bin.  
  
Leo smiled again at his brother. "Put red tinsel around your neck again, huh?"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Same every year bro, see you later". He lightly punched his brother's arm and walked out of the kitchen.  
  
Leo finished off his own drink and chucked his can away. Maybe I should see what Donnie's up to, he thought, as he walked out of the kitchen.  
  
//  
  
"Donnie?" Leo tapped on his brother's bedroom door.  
  
"Come in", came the quiet reply.  
  
Leo opened the door and walked in. Donnie was perched on his bed, fiddling with, what started to look like, Santa's sleigh. "Hey bro", Leo sat himself down on the end of the bed. "How's it coming?"  
  
Donnie smiled and looked up at his brother. "Good, the tune's in, I just need to paint it and I'm done".  
  
Leo nodded. "Great, so you going with your colour this year, purple? Or the traditional Santa-sleigh red?"  
  
Donnie's smile bent downward a little. "Purple? I like purple bro, but, I don't think purple will look good for Santa's sleigh, do you?"  
  
Leo shrugged and smiled. "Guess not, but blue with blue, red with red, and of course, Mikey, who is an 100% orange tinsel dude!"  
  
Donnie laughed. "You know he goes through that EVERY year!"  
  
"I told Raph the exact same thing", Leo pointed out. "But he still hates it when Mikey's in his 'I-love-Christmas-so-much' mode, you know that".  
  
Donnie nodded in agreement. "Remember when we were six? Mikey nearly broke his foot by all the orange tinsel lying around!"  
  
Leo replayed the scene in his head. "Yeah . . . he had to stay sitting down for days".  
  
Donnie also replayed Mikey's sad face when he couldn't put up the Christmas tree. "Poor Mikey, it was the first Christmas where he couldn't put the 'star' at the top of the tree".  
  
"He could never reach it anyway", said Leo. "He always had to use the stepladder, even now he can only reach it by tiptoeing".  
  
"Yeah", agreed Donnie and returning to his Christmas gadget. "But it's always like that at Christmas, Mikey, and Mikey only, has to put the 'star' on top of the tree".  
  
//  
  
"Ok guys, remember that I -."  
  
"We KNOW Mikey!" Raph folded his arms and rested on the couch. Leo was sitting next to him, elbow rested on his knee and head in his hand. Donnie sat on the floor, legs crossed. Splinter was sitting in his armchair smiling at his sons. And finally, Mikey was getting the Christmas tree 'star' out of its box.  
  
"Go ahead Michelangelo", Splinter nodded at his son.  
  
Mikey smiled and tiptoeing, put the star on top of the tree making it stand perfectly straight. The tree was put near the ladder, at the entrance of the lair.  
  
Mikey smiled to himself and walked over to his family, sitting down next to Donnie on the floor.  
  
Donnie smiled at his brother then looked at his watch. "Three . . . two . . . one . . ."  
  
Once the countdown was over lights went on throughout the whole den. The Christmas tree lit up in beautiful shades of orange, red, blue, purple, yellow, green, every colour the guys could think of. Lights lit up around the doorways to each of the guys' rooms, including Splinter's.  
  
Raph leaned forward and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Good work Donnie", he said, and then he leaned back and put his arms behind his head.  
  
Donnie smiled and folded his arms. "I'm a genius". He complimented himself. The only answer he got was pillows flying at him in different directions and the sound of Splinter trying not to let out a laugh.  
  
//  
  
"APRIL!! Merry Christmas!! In two weeks time, of course", Mikey hugged April tightly then let her go.  
  
"Merry Christmas to you too Mikey", April smiled at him softly. "Ready to put up some decorations?"  
  
April's apartment was bare, so she had asked Mikey to come round and help her put up the Christmas decorations, "besides", she had said, "I know how excited you get about finishing off the tree".  
  
Mikey picked up her box of Christmas goodies off the floor. "Let's do it".  
  
//  
  
They spent two hours decorating April's place. Mikey looked outside and realised that the sun was starting to go down. What a day, he thought. They had put tinsel in April's bedroom, living room, and kitchen and around the staircase. The tree was easy, but it took an hour to put all the final touches on it. Mikey had put the star on it because April had insisted, but it ended in a game of rock, paper, and scissors until Mikey had won it.  
  
Mikey took the remaining tinsel out of the box and put it on April's coat hanger, lying near the door. He was about to get ready to go when he found something stuck against the side of the box. He picked it up; it was a Christmas card.  
  
"April, what's this?" Mikey asked when April stood beside him.  
  
April examined it closely and smiled. "It's a card I received from my niece last year, she's very pretty isn't she?"  
  
Mikey smiled and looked at the picture on the front of the card. It was of a young girl. "How old is she?" He asked.  
  
"Erm, I'd say about your age . . . yeah, that's right, her birthday was about a month ago". April went to turn on the kettle while Mikey studied the card.  
  
The girl on the front had long - Mikey looked closer - LONG, hair, it was in between her knees and the top of her legs. It was a shiny, light blonde. That girl must use a lot of shampoo, thought Mikey. She had an adventurous face and a cute smile, her dimples showed faintly but looked sweet, her face complete with bright, blue eyes. She wore a pair of jeans and a three- quarter length, red sweater with 'Christmas' written on it.  
  
April came and stood next to him, a steaming cup of hot chocolate in her hands. "Here Mikey", she put it down on the counter next to him. "Warm yourself up before you go".  
  
"Thanks April", Mikey nodded thankfully.  
  
April smiled. "Told ya she was pretty".  
  
Mikey nodded. "I never knew you had a niece".  
  
April nodded and sat down on the couch. Mikey joined her; hot chocolate in one hand, the Christmas card in the other.  
  
"She's my brother's daughter. You don't know my brother. But that's because he lives in India. They moved to India about ten years ago, before I met you".  
  
Mikey frowned. "How come you never mentioned them?"  
  
April shrugged. "We write to each other, but they can't visit, it was only last year that my brother lost his wife".  
  
"Your sister-in-law? I'm sorry".  
  
April gave him a small smile. "S'ok, he had the hardest time and so did she, bless her".  
  
"What's their names?" Mikey asked her.  
  
"Who?" April asked, thinking.  
  
"Your niece and brother?"  
  
"Oh! Right", she smiled at him, "my brother's name is Tony, my sister-in- law's name was - still is - Kathy, and the 15-year-old girl is Tailor".  
  
"Tailor?" Mikey frowned. "I thought that was a boy's name?"  
  
April giggled. "It can be a boy's and a girl's name, but I think it suits her, she's an adventurous kind of girl".  
  
Mikey nodded and handed the card back to April.  
  
April opened the card and looked at the neat writing inside of it. "Here, read it", she handed it back to Mikey. Mikey gave his hot chocolate to April and started to read what was written in the centre of the card:  
  
Dear Aunt April, Just two main words; MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I hope all is well. India is great, and hot! I'm glad you sent me a picture last year, you're very pretty, if I become a news reporter, will I be that cute?  
  
April watched where Mikey's finger had got to and smiled. "She has a sense of humour".  
  
Mikey smiled and carried on:  
  
Dad's fine and so is mum. The doctor said that the cancer's gone now! She's all clear! It's the BEST Christmas ever! Thank you for the 'get well' card, (mum said that). Thanks a lot for the glass ornament you sent me; it's beautiful. Who told you that elephants were my favourite animals? Well I am around them a lot in India!  
  
I hope you like the cushion I made you! I know it's in an India atmosphere, but I do think it will go lovely with your apartment, (unless you decorated after the last time I was there).  
  
Dad said that maybe next Christmas we could come down and see you? Would that be ok? Please let me know.  
  
Other than MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope you have a great holiday (enjoy it, don't spend hours on reports all day, young lady).  
  
I love you Aunt April! Hugs and Kisses. Xxx. Also Tanya (my baby elephant friend - the one me and Dad are looking after - said 'hi'!)  
  
LOVE YOU! Merry Christmas! Say 'hi' to me on T.V!  
  
Yours, Tailor. Xxx.  
  
"She's got such a funny way of writing letters hasn't she?" April asked Mikey when he had finished.  
  
Mikey turned the card over and looked at Tailor on the front. "She sure has, is that how her mum died, cancer?"  
  
April sighed. "Yeah, just after she got rid of it too, I think Tailor changed her mind when she said it was the best Christmas ever".  
  
Mikey frowned. "I bet it was hard for her, and her dad".  
  
"It was, but -." April smiled at him. " - They got through it, that's what I wanted to tell you, I'm expecting a letter off Tailor in a week to see if she's coming down this Christmas and if she is, I'm afraid I can't spend as much time with you as I thought".  
  
Mikey smiled even though he was slightly disappointed. "It's ok April, you can say you have a report and come and see us".  
  
April nodded. "It won't be as often though".  
  
Mikey nodded, a nod that said 'I understand'.  
  
//  
  
"Hey guys, I'm back!"  
  
Donatello looked up and smiled at Mikey. "Hey, how'd the decorating go?"  
  
"Great", Mikey slumped himself next to his brother on the sofa. "Wiped me out though".  
  
Donnie laughed. "No one said that you had to do it".  
  
Mikey laid back and rested his feet on his brother's lap. "Where's Splinter?"  
  
"Meditating", Donnie replied.  
  
"Leo?"  
  
"Meditating", Donnie repeated.  
  
"Raph?"  
  
"Movies".  
  
"Ah, well I was going to come home earlier, but April showed me some letters from her niece".  
  
Donnie frowned, confused. "She doesn't have a niece".  
  
"She does, she lives in India, name's Tailor, I found a picture of her on a Christmas card and April told me about her. That Tailor's mum died last Christmas though".  
  
"Oh, poor April, must be hard losing a sister-in-law, I wonder why she didn't tell us".  
  
Mikey shrugged. "She said they only write, and only visit not very often, the last time they visited was before April met us, her niece is very pretty".  
  
Donnie smiled. "Got yourself a little Christmas crush there, Mikey?"  
  
Mikey smiled. "Hey I'm cute, I can have a crush if I wanna. But no, I don't have a crush, just saying she's pretty".  
  
Donnie nodded and patted his brother's foot. "Would be cool if we could meet April's friends, wouldn't it?"  
  
Mikey sighed, but kept the grin on his face. "Yeah . . . and I'm not joking, her niece looked cool, adventurous kind of girl".  
  
//  
  
(Ok, this is my first chapter for a new story! I do know where it's going, but I hope you enjoy the first one! The stories based on an idea I had. Oh and 'Tailor' ( similar to 'Taylor' but spelt differently, it's a girl's name, not a person who makes clothes, etc, ok? Ok). 


	2. Movies And Tailor

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 2: Movies and 'Tailor'  
  
"'A Nightmare Before Christmas' . . . do I really wanna watch that? Or should I go back home to Mikey's Christmas crazy attitude? . . . Nah".  
  
Raphael stood outside the movie theatre, gazing at the bright screen showing what was on just above the ticket booth. The only showing was 'A Nightmare Before Christmas' and it wasn't even real! Instead of going back home to his nagging brother, Raphael decided to watch the movie. He paid for his ticket - after receiving a funny look from the woman in the booth - and walked into screen 7, his trench coat wrapped tightly around him.  
  
//  
  
Raph leaned back in his seat at the back of the theatre. So know one would look at him strangely, he sat right in the corner on the right-hand side of the room.  
  
Raph gazed at the people coming in, even at this time of the year it wasn't very full. An old woman walked in with her husband; a small, young girl walked in with her dad; two teenagers sat at the front; and an usher stood at the back of the room.  
  
Raph rolled his eyes when the trailers came on. Why do they play these things when no one pays any attention to them?  
  
Something appeared out of the corner of his eye. Raph turned his head to the entrance of the room and - despite the darkness - could see that it was a girl. But what struck Raph most was her hair.  
  
It was long, VERY long, it flowed pass her big, baggy, blue jumper and nearly reached her knees. She wore dark, blue jeans - from what Raph could tell - and a gold choker chain sparkled around her neck. Raph eyes opened wide when he saw her eyes. Bright blue. He could even see them sparkling in the movie light.  
  
He watched as she laughed - a laugh that showed her small dimples - at a 'Lilo and Stitch' trailer and sat at the back, on the opposite corner to him.  
  
Raph watched as she stopped laughing and looked at him. He quickly turned his head, but could still feel her gaze on him. He turned his head back and she gave him a brief smile and turned her gaze back to the big screen.  
  
Raph shrugged, he never liked mingling with humans, but she had just caught his eye. He shook his head, clearing all those thoughts, and watched as the lights dimmed and the movie began to start.  
  
//  
  
Raphael walked out of the theatre an hour and a half later. He watched as the old couple, the young girl and dad, and the teenagers walked out of the theatre.  
  
It was completely dark now, and the streets were lit up with lights from the other buildings. Raph shoved his hands in his pockets and began to walk the two blocks home.  
  
He glanced as he saw the girl with the long hair walked out of the theatre. She wrapped her arms around herself and started to walk down a long alleyway.  
  
It was only two seconds later that Raph saw a teenage boy creep down the same alleyway that he decided to follow her.  
  
He rubbed his hands over his weapons, making sure they were still there, hopefully, he wouldn't have to use them.  
  
//  
  
"Let go of me, Scott! I haven't got any drugs! Why would I? I don't smoke!"  
  
Raph hid under the shadows, sliding along the walls of the thin alleyway. He could see clearly now that the boy had hold of the girl and was pinning her against the cold wall.  
  
This Scott had a wicked looking face. His dark, black hair fell over his eyes in curtains and his handsome, but evil, face smiled.  
  
"Well maybe we should forget the drugs and go elsewhere", by the sound of his voice, this Scott, was not a nice person, Raph thought to himself.  
  
"Do you think I came back from India to see YOU? I came to see my aunt!"  
  
"Where's you Dad?" asked Scott in a nasty tone.  
  
"Not that it's any of your business; but he's still in India, he just came to see me off here".  
  
"Aww, c'mon Tailor, let's go somewhere else".  
  
Raph grabbed onto his weapons tightly, encase this punk did anything nasty. He watched as Tailor tried to struggle free from Scott's arms, but failed.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere else! The only place I'm going to is my aunt's. And don't think your invited, 'cause your not!"  
  
Raph watched as Scott snorted. "You think I wanna go anywhere near that O'Neill woman! She's a tart!"  
  
Raph opened his eyes wide in shock. This girl, was April's niece?! But it couldn't be, could it? He felt anger burn to his fingers when he heard Scott call April a tart.  
  
"She's not a tart! She's great! Better than you! Let go of me!" Tailor struggled out of his grasp and stumbled backwards.  
  
Scott watched as she knocked her head against the cement wall and landed on her side on the floor, but what struck him most was that she didn't move . . . After a couple of minutes he kicked her gently, but received no sign of life. "Great, she goes and knocks herself out, well don't think I'm helping her".  
  
Raph growled angrily as he watched Scott shove his hands in his trouser pockets and walk down the dark alleyway and round a corner. He wanted to punch this guy's lights out, but he didn't bother starting a fight because seeing April O'Neill's niece lying unconscious on the floor made him pause.  
  
Raph kneeled down beside her and moved a layer of hair from her eyes. He looked at his watch; 8:00, damn, April wasn't back from work till 9:00. He sighed, he couldn't leave her here, and April wouldn't like it if she found out he left her niece unconscious in a dark alleyway.  
  
Raph slid his hands beneath her and gently picked her up. For a girl who looked like a teenager, she was incredibly light. He walked down the alleyway where Scott had gone and checked round each corner. Making sure the coast was clear he held Tailor in his arms and made his way home . . .  
  
//  
  
"Are you crazy?"  
  
Raph looked up from the sofa where Tailor was lying and smile slightly at Leo. "You know Leo, I have a feeling you've said that before, don't you?"  
  
"Raph, you should have taken her to a hospital". Leo folded his arms and stood behind his brother.  
  
Raph turned round and stared at his brother. "Oh yeah Leo, I'm just gonna waltz right up to the reception and say; 'excuse me, can you just help her? She was attacked in alleyway . . . as for the turtle look, I can explain' . . . that kind of thing Leo?"  
  
"That's not what I meant".  
  
"Leo you don't understand, she's -."  
  
"A girl you picked up off the street and we have no idea where she lives or if she even belongs here".  
  
"No she's -."  
  
"Unconscious, I know".  
  
"No LEO! She's April's niece!!"  
  
Leo unfolded his arms. "Oh yeah, and you just pick her up off the street and . . . wait . . . what did you say?"  
  
Raph sighed. "She's - April's - niece".  
  
"But? . . . What? . . . When? . . . HOW?"  
  
Raph smiled at his brother's shocked look. "Leo, she's April niece, I heard her say so, I had to bring her here".  
  
Leo closed his open mouth. "Why didn't you take her to April?"  
  
Raph rolled his eyes. "Don't you think I didn't suggest that? April's at work today, Mikey told me".  
  
Leo frowned and looked at Tailor. "Well maybe we can get her to April before she wakes up".  
  
Raph nodded. "Where are Donnie, Mikey and Splinter?"  
  
"Out, they'll be back soon". Leo sat down on the floor next to his brother and looked at Tailor. April never told them she had a niece. But she was pretty, Leo thought, even if she was knocked out.  
  
//  
  
"Say that again, Michelangelo?", Splinter sat in his armchair gazing at the unconscious Tailor on the sofa. Raph sat on the floor opposite her, with his arms folded. Leo sat next to Raph. And Donnie and Mikey were standing up facing their Master.  
  
Mikey smiled at Tailor then turned back to Splinter. "April told me that Tailor was planning on coming down this Christmas so they could spend some time together. Her dad was coming with her but from what Raph's told us, I guess he had plans. I don't think April knows Tailor's here, but she was expecting a letter from her".  
  
Splinter nodded. "Well, looks like she's here in person. I suggest we put her in my room and ring April to get here, let's hope April takes her home before Tailor wakes up".  
  
//  
  
"SHE'S WHAT!"  
  
"Ow, chill April", Donnie took the phone away from his ear a bit and shook his head. April was shouting all questions from everywhere down the phone. "April, April, stop! She's fine, just knocked out I think, we want you to get here before she comes to".  
  
"Sure Donnie, be right there", April put the phone down. Tailor was here? She was supposed to be in India!  
  
April sighed and looked out of her office window where Charles was standing, talking to an employee. I just hope he gives me some time off, she thought, I had to take some hours off yesterday to visit the guys.  
  
//  
  
April arrived at 8:30 sharp. She looked as though she ran because she was panting. She ran up to Donnie and rested her hands on his shoulders, the rest of the guys sitting on the floor, watching her.  
  
"Ok . . . w-where - I-is . . . she".  
  
"Chill April . . . breathe, she's fine, she's in Splinter's room, go on, go see her".  
  
April smiled and patted Donnie's shoulder. "T-thanks Donnie"  
  
//  
  
Tailor stirred. Slowly she put a hand to her forehead and opened her eyes. Ouch, was her first thought, where am I? She looked around the candle lit room and frowned. Last thing she remembered, she was falling. Tailor shook her head and quickly regretted it. Her head banged in all places. Must have taken a nasty fall, she thought as she looked around the room, or KIDNAPPED! She gasped when the door to the small bedroom opened. Tailor tried to sit up, but immediately lay back down again. The door slowly opened and she waited . . .  
  
"APRIL?"  
  
"Tailor!" April rushed to her niece and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're awake!" She quickly let her go. "Oh my God your awake, this is not so good".  
  
Tailor frowned. "Gee, thanks for caring April", Tailor took one last attempt to sit up and succeeded, she slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up properly.  
  
"Oh, no it's not that! It's -." April sighed and held her niece's hands. " - Before I ask you what you're doing here, I bet you're wondering where you are".  
  
Tailor nodded. "Just a little".  
  
April smiled slightly at her niece's confused attitude. "Well, I have these friends . . . there, well . . . how do I put this . . . not like you and me".  
  
Tailor frowned. "I'm not sure I get ya April".  
  
"Well . . . I can't explain Tailor, you're gonna have to come out and see them". April nodded at her niece; this was harder than she thought.  
  
Tailor nodded slowly a second time. "Oook . . ."  
  
"BUT, promise me you won't scream".  
  
Tailor shrugged. "Ok I won't scream, can your friends give me some tablets, I have a killer headache!"  
  
April smiled a bit, but she was still worried. "Sure, c'mon". She helped her niece get up and put an arm around her shoulder. April got her niece near the door and stopped her. "Wait here, please".  
  
Tailor frowned but waited as she watched April walk out of the room.  
  
//  
  
April clicked the door softly behind her and smiled at the guys. "I'm afraid . . . she's awake".  
  
Raph was sat on the floor and got up. "Can't we just go in our rooms while you lead her out of here?"  
  
April frowned. "And how do I explain walking out of the sewers?"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Dunno".  
  
Splinter got up and put her hand on his son's shoulder. "Then, we have to tell her, let's hope, that she doesn't take this hard".  
  
//  
  
"Ok, tell me why I'm blind-folded again?" Tailor walked to where April was leading her.  
  
"Because when I undo it, you're going to get a BIG surprise".  
  
"Fine, but I really don't see the point".  
  
"Oh, you'll see the point all right", April said under her breath when she walked into the main area of the lair.  
  
//  
  
The guys were all sat on the sofa, except for Leo who was standing next to his Master's armchair. Splinter smiled when April came in and April gave him a small smile back.  
  
"Ok, Tailor, take it off".  
  
April left go of Tailor's hands and sat down on the arm of the sofa, next to Donnie.  
  
Tailor frowned but put her hands behind her head and removed April's scarf. She shoved her hair behind her head and opened her eyes.  
  
First her eyes darted to April, who gave her a small nod.  
  
Then she put her eyes on Donnie and her mouth flew open. Choking on her words. Tailor lifted a finger and pointed at Donnie.  
  
"Oh . . ." She then pointed at Mikey. "My . . ." Then Raph. "Good . . ." Then Leo. "Well . . ." Then Splinter. "GOD!"  
  
Tailor walked backwards and put her hands to a wall. "Oh my God! I'm DEAD! I'm well and truly dead!"  
  
Donnie smiled slightly and nudged April. "Sound a little familiar to you?"  
  
April gave him a small smile. "Yeah, it does".  
  
"APRIL! You're talking to it!"  
  
April got up and took her step toward her niece, just as Tailor took a step back. "Tailor please, calm down".  
  
"CALM DOWN! I'm standing here facing four large turtles and a rat! And you want me to calm down? I know I'm not seeing things!!"  
  
"Please, I know what you're feeling, I went through it too".  
  
"You spoke to it!!"  
  
April sighed and took a step back and sat back down next to Donnie. She put a hand on his shoulder. "It's a boy, Tailor, not an 'it', this one's Donatello: Donnie."  
  
Donnie waved a little at Tailor and smiled. "Hi".  
  
Tailor twisted a piece of hair around her finger. "He SPOKE to me, oh my God, ok, this is well freaky, all I wanted to do was see a movie and go to your house April, not come here! Please, take me home!"  
  
April lifted herself up and took Tailor's hand. "Tailor please; come sit down".  
  
Tailor glanced at the others, and then nodded. "Ok", she said in a whisper.  
  
April smiled and let Tailor sit down on the floor, about one metre away from the guys.  
  
Tailor put her arms around her knees and carried on twisting her hair around her fingers.  
  
"Don't do that Tailor, you're making me nervous", April sat down on the floor next to her.  
  
Tailor carried on twisting her hair and kept her eyes on the guys. "Sorry April, I can't help it".  
  
"Look", April took her niece's hand. "We both know that when you're upset, or nervous, you twist your hair, now, please, listen to what Splinter has to say".  
  
Tailor frowned. "Splinter?"  
  
April nodded and pointed at the old rat. "Him".  
  
Tailor turned her head back slowly to Splinter.  
  
Splinter gave her a warm smile. "Hello, my dear child"  
  
Tailor frowned. Did he always call girls 'child'; she shrugged and listened to what he had to say, still clutching April's hand.  
  
Splinter smiled and nodded at her, knowing what she was thinking. "15 years ago . . ."  
  
Tailor listened carefully. He seemed ok. But meeting a mutant rat for the first time was a little freaky. She smiled when he smiled at her and let him continue his story . . .  
  
//  
  
"This is Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and, as April already pointed out, Donatello".  
  
Tailor allowed 'hi''s from each turtle and a small nod, from, Michelangelo? No that was the orange one . . . it was Raphael, she found out he was the one that saved her.  
  
"Thank you", she whispered, putting a piece of lose hair behind her ear. Raph nodded a 'your welcome' at her and folded his arms and leaned back on the sofa.  
  
Mikey smiled and sat down on the floor opposite Tailor. "Hi - ya"  
  
Tailor allowed a small smile. "Hey".  
  
Mikey stuck out his hand. "Shake?"  
  
Tailor kept her hands on her knees and looked at April, who was now sitting in between Raph and Donnie. April smiled and nodded at her.  
  
Tailor turned her gaze back to Mikey. He smiled sweetly at her and nodded. Tailor slowly extended her hand and put it in his. She smiled, his shake felt warm and gentle. She looked at his three fingers, but gazed back at his face. "You know", she said after a few minutes silence, "for a turtle, you're kind of cute".  
  
Mikey smiled and went a ruby red in the cheeks. "Erm thanks".  
  
Donnie and April laughed, along with Raph. Splinter and Leo just smiled to stop themselves from laughing at the embarrassed look on Mikey's face.  
  
"Go, Mikey", Donnie smiled at his brother and lifted himself off the sofa. He too, extended his hand. "Hey, I'm Donnie".  
  
Tailor smiled and shook Donnie's hand. "Tailor".  
  
Donnie nodded and sat back down.  
  
"Hey Tailor, I forgot to ask you, what are you doing here?"  
  
Tailor frowned and looked at April. "I came to see you, my dad was supposed to come, but he has business, so he came to see me off".  
  
"But, where are you staying?"  
  
"Oh, I'm at Emma's house . . . well, I'm not staying there, but she said she'll look after my stuff, but". Tailor looked at her watch. "It'll be too late to go now, her family go out at night".  
  
April nodded. "Don't worry, we'll sort something out, anyway, it's not like you to wear trousers and baggy jumpers, is it?"  
  
Tailor smiled and shrugged. "It's normally so hot in India, it's so cold here so I had to bring baggy jumpers". She tugged on her jumper. "Even though I don't like wearing them".  
  
April smiled. "You still look pretty".  
  
Tailor blushed and smiled. "Thanks April so do you".  
  
Donnie smiled when he realised they treat each other just like sisters. He put an arm around April's shoulder. "Yeah April, you'll always be pretty to me".  
  
Leo and Splinter joined in the laughing this time. Even Raph laughed when April's cheeks flushed. April shrugged. "Tailor, I know I keep asking you questions, but, why were you knocked out?"  
  
Tailor blinked, as if trying to remember. Then she turned to Raph and frowned, trying to picture him being there, Raph frowned as well but didn't say anything. Tailor turned her head back up to April. "Scott".  
  
"What?"  
  
"Scott, that boy I went to school with before I went to India, he's a druggie! He wanted me to give him drugs then go somewhere, I managed to struggle out of his grasp, then I fell back and . . . then I ended up here".  
  
"Looks like you got knocked out".  
  
Tailor looked at Leo and nodded. "Guess so . . . Leo, is it?"  
  
Leo nodded and smiled. He walked forward and gladly shook Tailor's hand. "Nice to meet you Tailor".  
  
Tailor smiled. "You too"  
  
Leo let go and stood beside his Master.  
  
Tailor looked at Splinter. "April", she said still gazing at Splinter. "I don't want to be rude but can we go?"  
  
April nodded. "Sure".  
  
Tailor got up and slowly walked up to Splinter. Without saying anything she put out her hand.  
  
Splinter smiled and took Tailor's hand in his.  
  
Tailor smiled a little. She felt she could trust him. Maybe they weren't so bad after all. "Thank you, for what you've done, I hope I can see you again".  
  
Splinter nodded. "Feel free to come and visit, it was no trouble at all".  
  
Tailor nodded back at him. "I promise I won't tell anyone".  
  
"I have a feeling . . ." Splinter began. ". . . That we can trust you".  
  
//  
  
Tailor sat in April's van 5 minutes later. She saw April sharing a few words with Leo. Tailor watched as April hugged him. When she left she didn't hug any of them, it still felt a bit weird, but maybe she would get used to it. She frowned slightly, that Raphael, or Raph, didn't say much, either he was shy, which seemed hardly possible, or he didn't like humans that much, but she couldn't blame him; if she lived down in the sewers for 15 years without any contact with humans she wouldn't trust them either. Tailor leaned back against her seat. Man what a day, she thought, and to think it all started by taking a trip to the movies. 


	3. Getting To Know One Another

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 3: Get To Know One Another  
  
Tailor sat at the top of April's apartment, looking out at the city. Since April had a busy timetable, Tailor had the whole day to herself. She took another bite out of her microwave pizza and smiled. She stared down at the sun, which was slowing beginning to set. All day she had had her breakfast, read, ate her lunch, read, and now she sat on the roof, eating some more.  
  
Tailor smiled. It was quite warm, even though it was winter. The sun had come out all day and there was a slight breeze, but still, it wasn't that cold.  
  
Today she wore a plain yellow, baggy, jumper that had 'Tailor' written on it in fancy writing and black jeans. Her long hair matched her jumper colour and shone brightly in the sunlight, mostly because she wore it down.  
  
//  
  
Raphael stood behind Tailor, his trench coat wrapped tightly around him and his hat on his head. He could see her eating some pizza and he could just tell she was smiling. He didn't even know her that well, but he had a nagging feeling he should trust her, just like they all did with April.  
  
He walked over to her and tapped her on her shoulder, or hair, since it flowed right over her shoulders and down her back.  
  
//  
  
Tailor quickly spun around. Before she had a chance to scream Raph put a hand over her mouth and shook his head. She nodded and he removed it.  
  
"What are you doing here? You could have been seen".  
  
Raph smiled slightly. "I've been a ninja for 15 years, I think I know how to keep myself hidden".  
  
"Aren't we trying to be impressive? Wanna sit down?" She patted the single, block wall that was near the edge of the roof and that she was sitting on.  
  
Raph shrugged and sat down next to her. He looked ahead at the sun, but quickly turned his head when it started to hurt his eyes. "How can you stare at this for even 5 minutes?" He turned to her.  
  
Tailor swallowed a chunk of pizza and smiled. "I've lived in India for 15 years, it's red hot, the suns shinning nearly everyday, wouldn't YOU get used to that?"  
  
Raph gave her a shrug. "I guess so".  
  
Tailor smiled and lifted up her pizza. "Wanna bite?"  
  
Raph shook his head. "No thanks".  
  
Tailor popped the last piece of pizza in her mouth. "So", she said when she had swallowed it, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, April called and told me to bring you a message that she was going to be late in from work this afternoon".  
  
Tailor frowned and looked down at the streets. Loads of people were just finishing their Christmas shopping. "Why didn't she ring me?"  
  
"Small problem, lines are dead, didn't you know?"  
  
Tailor shook her head. "No, been reading all day"  
  
"Oh, well now there's your answer".  
  
Tailor nodded, but kept her gaze on the streets. "Why didn't any of your brothers come?"  
  
Raph followed her gaze and noticed she was looking at an old man in a shop window. "Leo's meditating, so is Splinter, Donnie's busy with his Christmas sleigh thingy, and Mikey's still putting decorations in my room, and since April came down to us, she asked me to come here and tell you".  
  
"If she came down to you, why didn't she just come up here?"  
  
"Because our place is closer, all she has to do is lift a manhole near her office, so she thought it would be easier asking us".  
  
Tailor nodded again. "Kay".  
  
Raph frowned and followed her gaze again. She had titled her head and was now looking at a mum giving her young daughter a sweet. "What are you looking at?" Of course he already knew the answer, he just wanted to know why.  
  
"That woman and kid"  
  
"Why?" Might as well pop the question, he thought.  
  
"Just makes you think, don't it? Mother and Child, makes you wanna be apart of it".  
  
Raph shrugged. "Suppose so".  
  
Tailor sighed. "Too bad for some people"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Nothing, just, let's say my mum's not always there".  
  
"Where is she then?"  
  
"Dead".  
  
Her answer came so quick that Raph didn't have time to wonder what the answer was going to be. He could have kicked himself for asking. He was going to say something comforting but the only thing that came out was; "How?"  
  
Tailor kept her gaze on the Mum and Daughter and clenched her fist. Why couldn't she have that? "Cancer".  
  
"Bet it was hard", Raph had finally got his full voice back.  
  
"It was, but, no point blubbering over it", Tailor watched the Mother and Daughter disappear in a shop and relaxed a little, glad the picture was gone.  
  
"You didn't even cry?"  
  
Tailor looked at him. Raph noticed that her blue eyes weren't as bright as when he first met her, he also noticed she was twisting her hair, why did she do that? He had a feeling he knew but couldn't put his finger on it.  
  
"No point, people get over things", She turned her gaze back to the setting sun. Now the sky was turning a darkish blue. "Hey, it's getting chilly out here, want to go inside and watch a movie?"  
  
Raph shrugged. Why did she just drop the subject like that? It reminded him of himself, never revealing her emotions. "Sure".  
  
//  
  
Back inside the apartment was warm. Raph took off his trench coat and hat and hung it up. He sat down on the sofa. After 20 minutes of picking films they had both decided on 'Men In Black', action, and, it wasn't emotional.  
  
Tailor came back and handed him a cup of tea. She rolled her jumper sleeves up and sat down next to him, her own cup of tea steaming on the coffee table in front of them.  
  
Tailor hit the 'play' button. She flicked her long, blonde hair behind her shoulders and smiled when the movie started.  
  
Raph frowned. He was listening to the movie but he kept his gaze on Tailor. One thing was bugging him; it wasn't even a thing to be exact. It was a question. He put his cup of tea down on the table. "Hey, this is going to sound weird, but how come your hair is so long?"  
  
Tailor laughed. She turned to him and smiled. "Don't worry, everyone asks me that, well when I was younger I always wanted long hair, very long hair as you can tell, so 10 years later here I am, hair nearly reaching my knees".  
  
Raph smiled. "How many shampoo bottles do you go through?"  
  
"Hmm, let's see, I'd say quite a few", she let out a giggle. "Loads, to be exact, took me ages to get my hair this soft, I'm weird, huh?"  
  
Raph shook his head. "No", he regretted it and turned away blushing a bit.  
  
Tailor smiled. "You'd be surprised how many people think I am, and it isn't just because of my hair".  
  
"What is it because of?" Raph turned back to her. It was weird; he was talking to a girl! And not any girl, April's niece, could this get any weirder?  
  
"Just, my family", Tailor looked at him. It was amazing that she hardly knew him yet and she had already told him things she wouldn't tell anyone, not even April. She searched his face. His eyes didn't show any emotion but she had this feeling there was kindness hidden behind them, she totally ignored the movie, trying to figure out if there was something else to him, something hidden under his red bandanna, that hardly ever showed.  
  
"You think you could stare any longer?"  
  
Tailor shook her head and smiled, she could feel her cheeks burning as she tried not to blush. "Sorry, just thinking".  
  
"About how freak-looking I am?" His voice had risen a little but he kept calm, why did people stare at them like that? They were just the same . . . on the inside.  
  
Tailor's smile went into a frown. She still kept her gaze on him. "I don't think your freak looking".  
  
Raph folded his arms. "You're the first".  
  
"People just don't know you Raph".  
  
"And you do?"  
  
Tailor shook her head, letting a piece of hair flow in front of her face. "No, but I would like to, and your brothers".  
  
Raph unfolded his arms and looked at her. He watched her tuck her hair behind her ear. Her eyes were back to the normal blue he had first seen her with, and now that he could see her properly, in normal daylight, her faint, brown tanned skin. "Not much to know".  
  
She smiled at him, and he noticed how her dimples showed. He also noticed that her face looked sweet when she smiled. He quickly shook his head, man; did he always have to notice the tiniest details?  
  
"I doubt that", she said after a minute's silence. "I bet there's more to you then you let on". She smiled at him again and turned her head back to the movie, where Will Smith had just said; "N.Y.P.A.D; means I will ''Nock. Your. Punk. Ass. Down!" Tailor let out a laugh.  
  
Raph smiled a little. Maybe there was more to her than she let on. Not just them. He turned his gaze to the movie. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.  
  
//  
  
"Where have you been?" Mikey folded his arms when Raph came into the living room.  
  
"Out".  
  
Mikey watched his brother hung up his coat and then sit down next to him. He turned his gaze to where his brother was. "Out where? How long does it take to give a message?"  
  
Raph growled at his brother and his brother immediately backed off. "I watched a movie, happy now?"  
  
"A movie with who?"  
  
"Santa Claus", Raph gazed at his brother. "Tailor, who else was there?"  
  
"Ah, ha! You have a crush on her!"  
  
Raph felt his face go red with anger and a little embarrassment. "I do not!"  
  
Mikey smiled and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry bro, I went through that phase, you'll get over it, although . . ." Mikey scratched his head, and smiled brightly. " . . . She is kind of cute isn't she?"  
  
Raph frowned. "How am I supposed to know Mikey? I don't drool over her like you do"; he smiled a little at his brother.  
  
"Drool? I don't drool bro, I just judge", Mikey smiled and leaned back on the sofa.  
  
Raph smiled and shook his head. "You sure do Mikey".  
  
//  
  
"My son, where have you been?"  
  
Raph sighed. He now regretted walking in the kitchen. Leo had asked him that question an hour ago, and so did Donnie and now Splinter.  
  
Raph gave a small bow and sat down at the kitchen table, opposite his Master. "I was out giving the message, Splinter".  
  
Splinter smiled. "Took you two hours, my son?"  
  
Raph smiled and shook his head. "No Splinter, I watched a movie with Tailor, she seemed kind of lonely being on her own".  
  
"How did you figure that out, Raphael?"  
  
"She got a little quiet at the topic of family, then she suggested watching a move, so I said 'yes', do you mind?"  
  
Splinter shook his head. "Not at all my son, Tailor seems like a nice girl, I bet she enjoyed your company".  
  
Raph shrugged. "I guess so, she said there was more to us all than we let on, do you think that's true? Master?"  
  
Splinter smiled and patted his son's hand. "Maybe Raphael . . . just maybe . . . she was linking that statement to one person".  
  
//  
  
(Ok, this is shorter than the others, but I hope you enjoy, just wanted this chapter to relate to Tailor, so you get what kind of person she's like, hope you enjoy). 


	4. A Fun Day Indoors

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 4: A Fun Day Indoors  
  
Tailor sat down in the main hall of the new leisure centre, her badminton racket in her hand. She was wearing a pair of light blue shorts, and a white vest, adidas top, completed with adidas trainers . . . her hair wrapped up in a ponytail on the top of her head. It was freezing outside, but inside it was incredibly warm. Tailor shifted up on the bench when a couple of boys sat down next to her. They looked her age, and were good looking, but she couldn't be sure. She ignored their whispers and pointing and turned away from them, flicking her long ponytail behind her head.  
  
"Elliot!" She ran up to a boy with blue trousers on and a white vest top. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. The boys that were on the bench frowned, knowing he was her boyfriend.  
  
Elliot smiled and hugged her back. "Great to see you, Tailor".  
  
Tailor let him go and looked at him. He looked good. He was a little bit taller than her and his brown eyes glowed. His nice, brown, spiky gelled up hair was set on top of his head and his skinned was nicely tanned, his face broke into a smile, revealing cute dimples.  
  
"You haven't changed a bit, just got taller", Elliot had been her best friend from high school, before she moved to India, but he still was.  
  
Elliot laughed. "You've gotten prettier".  
  
"Elliot!" She gave him a light punch. "Shall we play some badminton?"  
  
Elliot nodded. "Totally".  
  
Tailor walked over to the far end of the hall, where a court was set up for them, she ignored the other boy's sad faces and stood in position, waiting for Elliot to go on the other side of the court.  
  
Elliot positioned himself and smiled at Tailor. "First to 14, I'm still as good as I was before, so be prepared".  
  
Tailor laughed and held her badminton bat in front of her. "Bring it on, tough guy!" This made the two boys frown even more, they sat back to watch them.  
  
Elliot held the shuttlecock in front of him and gave her a perfect serve. Tailor hit it perfectly and managed to whack it to the back of the court. She smiled at him and flicked her hair back. "I haven't got any worse, you know". But she didn't get the point because he served it.  
  
"Ha, ha, cute", Elliot grabbed the shuttlecock and walked to the corner in the middle of the court. The game wasn't over yet.  
  
//  
  
Tailor wiped her face with her towel and smiled at Elliot. "How's Anna?" Anna was Elliot's other friend, and hers. Tailor looked out of the corner of her eye and saw the two boy's looking at her, smiling, thinking this 'Anna' was Elliot's girlfriend.  
  
Elliot wiped his own face with his towel. "Fine, she told me to say 'hi', and asked me to ask you if you've got a boyfriend yet?"  
  
"No way Elliot! You should know me, we've been best friends for 14 years . . . I don't want a boyfriend".  
  
"Why?" Elliot frowned and sat on the bench next to her, slightly away from the boys.  
  
"Because . . ." Tailor glanced at the boys. "Because boys just go for looks. I want someone who likes me for me, not what's on the outside".  
  
"Who said we go for looks on the outside?"  
  
Tailor leaned closer to him and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Well those boys have been staring at me for an hour!"  
  
Elliot looked up at the boys then looked at Tailor. He ran a hand through his brown, spiky hair. "Well, can you blame them? You are pretty, Tailor".  
  
Tailor frowned and looked at him with sad eyes. "Is that why you stayed hanging around with me in high school? Because of my looks?"  
  
Elliot laughed and hugged his friend tightly, keeping one arm around her shoulder. "No way, I loved you for you, that's why we are best friends, still are right?"  
  
Tailor smiled and nodded. "Right".  
  
Elliot smiled. "Come on, I'll walk you home, and Tailor, it don't matter if you haven't got a boyfriend, look at me, I'm still cute and I haven't got a girlfriend".  
  
Tailor laughed. "I never said you were cute!"  
  
Elliot frowned and stuck out his lip. "Aww. That hurt".  
  
Tailor smiled and grabbed her racket. She put her towel in her bag and put it on her back. She stood up. "Come on then". She waited while Elliot got his stuff together and joined her. She was about to walk off when he stopped her. "Wait, I have an idea". He put one arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, he leaned his head towards her ear and whispered; "Pay back".  
  
Tailor frowned, but went along with his game.  
  
Elliot smiled and walked pass the two boys, ignoring their envious looks. In one movement he kissed Tailor on the cheek, giving the two boys a smile, and walked out of the sports hall with her.  
  
//  
  
Tailor laughed when they got outside. "Thanks", still in her shorts and vest she shivered, she should have brought a sweater; it was winter after all!  
  
"Here", Elliot opened his bag and handed her a dark blue sweater. Tailor smiled and took it off him. She put her bag on the floor and put on his sweater, feeling the warmth of it . . . and the bagginess of it covering up her shorts. She said 'thank you' again and lifted her bag back up.  
  
Elliot put an arm back round her shoulder and smiled. "Come on, let's get you home before you catch a cold".  
  
//  
  
They reached April's apartment and Tailor turned to her best friend. "Thanks Elliot, I had a great time, next time next week before I go back to India?"  
  
Elliot hugged her. "Sure, sounds great".  
  
Tailor smiled. "I have my mobile, ring me if anything comes up and you can't make it, ok?"  
  
Elliot nodded. "Yeah, ok".  
  
Tailor gave her friend one last hug. "Oh, here, let me give you your sweater back".  
  
"No, it's ok, keep it, you can give me it back next week, it looks better on you than it does on me".  
  
Tailor smiled. "When I said you wasn't cute, you know I didn't mean it".  
  
Elliot smiled back at her, revealing his dimples. "I know, and when I said you was pretty, you know I meant it, I'll ring you in the week", he gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug. With one last wave, he ran round the corner to his home two blocks away.  
  
//  
  
April was washing the pots when the door slammed. She looked up and smiled at Tailor. "Good game at badminton?"  
  
Tailor put her bag down and collapsed on the sofa. "Yeah".  
  
April dried her hands with a towel and sat down next to her niece. "Who won?"  
  
"Elliot, by one mark!!"  
  
April laughed. "Maybe you'll get lucky next week . . . whoa -." She looked at the long sweater Tailor was wearing. " - You have got shorts on, haven't you?"  
  
Tailor smiled. "Yeah, of course, I was cold so Elliot leant me his sweater, he's so sweet!"  
  
April smiled and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her niece's ear. "Maybe you should go out with him?"  
  
Tailor laughed. "Elliot doesn't want a girlfriend, he may joke about it but I know he doesn't, and we are really cool together as best friends".  
  
April nodded. "Want to see the guys today?"  
  
Tailor smiled. She didn't forget about the guys, even if she did go to badminton. "Sure".  
  
April patted Tailor's leg. "Get ready then and we'll go".  
  
//  
  
Tailor came out of her room five minutes later. She smiled at April who was sitting on the sofa. "Ok, let's go".  
  
April looked at her niece. She had blue, faded jeans on and Elliot's blue sweater, which was baggy on her but looked nice, and brought out her eyes. Her long, blonde hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, high on her head. "Ok", April got up and grabbed her keys to the apartment. "Let's go".  
  
//  
  
Michelangelo was sitting playing cards against Donnie. They were playing 'Black Jack' and Mikey wasn't doing so well.  
  
Donnie had his singing sleigh besides him on the floor and was humming to the tune, but his face concentrated on the game. He only had one card left, and was waiting for Mikey to take his go.  
  
Leo and Raph were on the sofa watching them and Splinter sat in his armchair, smiling at Mikey's confused face.  
  
Mikey's face broke into a grin and he put down an eight of clubs, then a black jack on top of that. "Hah! Pick up six Donnie!"  
  
Donnie smiled and placed a red jack of hearts on top of the jack of clubs. "Pick up ten Mikey, but then again . . . no need . . . 'cause I won!"  
  
Raph and Leo laughed at Mikey's shocked face and Splinter grinned. "Another time Michelangelo, maybe you'll get lucky".  
  
Mikey's shocked face broke into another smile. "Maybe I don't need luck, I'll just have Tailor's help".  
  
Raph stopped laughing and frowned at his brother. "Tailor's not here"  
  
Mikey smiled at his brother. "Yeah she is", he pointed to the ladder and everyone looked up, to where April was watching Tailor climb down the ladder, with some difficulty.  
  
Mikey got up and walked over to April. He gave her a hug and watched Tailor climbed down the last three steps, but she tripped and landed on her butt. "Ow!"  
  
Mikey laughed slightly and grabbed Tailor's hands, helping her up. "Hey, you ok?"  
  
Tailor rubbed her butt, and smiled. "Ouch, my butt", she looked at the other guys who were smiling at her, trying not to laugh. "It's not funny!"  
  
Donnie giggled but kept quiet. Leo and Raph smiled, and so did Splinter. "Come and sit down, my child".  
  
Tailor smiled and walked over to Splinter. Leo moved up on the sofa, letting her sit next to him. "Thanks Leo".  
  
Mikey walked over with April, and they both sat down on the floor.  
  
Tailor was glad she was here. She was scared of them at first but then she realised that they were cool, and they didn't want to hurt her, why would Raph save her if he wanted to hurt her? She smiled at Splinter and told him about her day, since he asked her.  
  
Splinter laughed when she told them what Elliot did for her. "This Elliot seems like a nice boy".  
  
"Yeah, he is".  
  
"And he gave you that sweater?"  
  
Tailor smiled. "Can tell by the bagginess huh? He didn't give me it exactly, just leant me it till next week".  
  
Mikey frowned at Tailor. "But Tailor, I wanted to be your boyfriend!"  
  
Tailor laughed, along with everyone else. "Cute Mikey, but Elliot isn't my boyfriend, we've been best friends for years".  
  
Everyone shared jokes and stories for the rest of the day. Tailor played 'Black Jack' with Mikey and won. They also played Rummy, Go Fish, Crash, Pack-a-way, 7-up, and Donnie played some card tricks on them. Tailor had never laughed so much, she enjoyed badminton with Elliot and now she was having fun with the guys. She had never had this much fun, the last time she did was last Christmas, but that had gone downhill, with what happened to her mum . . .  
  
Her smile disappeared and her bright, blue eyes faded. Maybe Tailor didn't show her emotions strongly like some people, but when sadness touched her heart, it haunted her like a ghost from the past.  
  
//  
  
(Ok, my fourth chapter is done! Yay! I wanted Elliot to be in it to show Tailor's friendship between them. Hope you enjoy! xXx. Thank you so-o-o much for the reviews! Love ya all! Thanks for reviewing this story as well, Lenniluvsbrian! And the rest of you! XXx). 


	5. Snowballs & Hot Chocolate

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 5: Snowballs & Hot Chocolate  
  
Tailor woke up bright and early, and looked at the clock on her beside table, 8:00, not bad for a Saturday. She got out of bed and looked out of the window. This was the day she had been waiting for. New York glistened with snow; each building facing her had a white blanket covering it. Tailor smiled and walked over to her bed. She was wearing her shorts and t-shirt, grey pyjamas. She ran to the guest bathroom; splashed some cold water on her face and quickly brush her teeth. She ran back in the bedroom and put on a pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt and Elliot's baggy jumper, which kept her extra warm. She ran a brush through her hair and put it in a high ponytail, letting her hair lift up a bit higher from her knees. Tailor looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was the type of girl that didn't like make-up, but her mum said she never needed it.  
  
Tailor smiled when her mobile on the bedside dresser beeped. She grabbed her 3310 and read the message that appeared on the screen.  
  
I'm outside . . . better get out here . . . snowball time! Luv, Elliot xXx.  
  
Elliot had rang her last night and said he would come round tomorrow if it snowed. Tailor had agreed and told him to ring her. But a text was good enough. She put her phone back on the dresser and walked out of the bedroom.  
  
April wasn't up yet so Tailor left a note just in case April worried about her. She slipped on a pair of gloves, which April told her she could have, and slipped on her trainers, then she left the Apartment, locking the door behind her with a spare key.  
  
//  
  
Tailor ran down the three sets of stairs and let herself into the open. Elliot was nowhere to be seen, so Tailor walked round the side of the building and into an alleyway. Her feet sunk deep into the snow that covered her trainers. She shivered when she felt the snow touch her legs. She looked for Elliot and smiled, she knew he would be hiding; he did this every year she came to visit.  
  
Just as she was about to pick up some snow, a snowball came flying at her and hit her face, followed by Elliot's laugh. Tailor quickly wiped the snow from her eyes and stared evilly at Elliot, who was now standing in front of her, laughing. He was wearing another sweater, but it was red and dark blue jeans.  
  
"Got ya good, O'Neill!"  
  
Tailor smiled. She quickly bent down and slid her feet under his, making him trip and fall face first into the snow. "Who's got who good now?" Tailor laughed and watched her friend wipe snow from his forehead. She got up and gave out her hand.  
  
Elliot smiled evilly and took it, but he didn't use it to help himself up, he used it to pull her down.  
  
"Hey, no fair, Elliot Blaine!"  
  
Tailor frowned sweetly at him, her butt deep in the snow. "Your mean to me, do you know that?"  
  
Elliot smiled and sat next to her, ignoring the cold snow. "Yeah, but that's how it is in New York, it's a tough world . . . deal with it!"  
  
"Elliot!" Tailor lightly punched his shoulder. "You're supposed to be nice! Drop the sarcastic attitude!"  
  
Elliot smiled nicely at her. "Ok, ok, sorry". He lifted himself up and helped Tailor up after him. "How about getting some hot chocolate at our traditional café?"  
  
Tailor smiled and nodded. "You have the best ideas, Blaine!"  
  
Elliot slipped an arm around her shoulder and guided her out of the alleyway and onto the empty streets of New York.  
  
//  
  
"Aww, how cute, don't ya think, Donnie?" Donnie looked over April's apartment roof and smiled. Everyone had come to see April and Tailor, even Splinter. They all agreed to come round at 9:00. Just as they were climbing the ladder to the roof, all of them saw Tailor, laughing with . . . who they figured, to be Elliot.  
  
"Sure is, Mikey", Donnie smiled at his brother, who was tightly wrapped up in a trench coat and hat, and could only be seen by his bandanna colour.  
  
Splinter smiled. "Tailor sure has one good friend over here".  
  
All his sons nodded and looked over the roof. They couldn't hear what they were saying, but could make out Tailor's smiling face and Elliot's handsome, cute face.  
  
Mikey smiled. "I'm cuter!" Everyone laughed quietly at this and Splinter chuckled.  
  
//  
  
"Thanks for paying for the hot chocolate Elliot, I'll pay you back".  
  
"No need", Elliot put his hands in his pockets, trying to warm up. "Me and my family are going away this week, but I can still come to badminton next week, are you sure you'll be alright here on your own?"  
  
Tailor smiled. "Yeah sure, I'll be fine".  
  
But Elliot didn't look convinced. "I just wondered, 'cause I know that bully Scott is always trying to get his hands on you and I just worry about you sometimes . . . I -."  
  
"Stop Elliot, don't worry, I - I made some new friends while I was here . . . some friends of my aunt's. Don't worry, I'll be fine, I won't let Scott hurt me . . . so, when are you leaving?"  
  
Elliot shifted his feet in the snow. "Tomorrow, I'm only going to a relatives, just like when you visit April, we can still keep in touch by text, right?"  
  
Tailor nodded and smiled. "Right".  
  
Elliot smiled and hugged his friend. "I have to pack all day today, but I'll text you tomorrow before I leave, ok?"  
  
"Kay".  
  
"Tailor, you're the coolest".  
  
Tailor smiled again. "Thanks Elliot, so are you . . . I'm, I'm glad we're best friends".  
  
"Me too, totally"  
  
Tailor kissed her friend softly on the cheek and gave him one last hug. Elliot kissed her back and made for his home, waving to her like he normally does before turning the corner.  
  
Tailor smiled and walked to the door. She walked up the three sets of stairs and reached April's door. Tailor put the key in but it was already unlocked, she opened the door.  
  
"HELLO!" Mikey's face was millimetres from hers.  
  
"Ahhhh! Mikey! You scared me!" Tailor put a hand to her chest and felt her racing heart. "O-ok, let me just calm down".  
  
Tailor looked behind the orange turtle. April was now up and sitting on the sofa, Donnie and Leo were sitting next to her, and Raph and Splinter were sat on the stools by the counter. They were all laughing quietly at her.  
  
Tailor felt her face go red. "It's not funny! He scared the life out of me!"  
  
"Aww, sorry", Mikey gave Tailor a quick hug. It was the first time one of them hug her and she didn't pull away. Tailor smiled, a bond had grown between them in the past few days and she felt a new feeling touch her heart.  
  
"I-it's ok, just l-let me get my heartbeat to my normal rate", Tailor sat down on a stool, next to Raph and Splinter; hand still on her chest. Mikey sat on the arm of the sofa, next to April.  
  
"How was the snowball fight?" April got up and started to make hot chocolate for everyone.  
  
Tailor stared up at her aunt. "H-how did you know I was having a snowball fight?"  
  
"She didn't!" Mikey piped up. "You just told her!"  
  
"MIKEY!" Everyone echoed.  
  
April smiled and looked at Tailor. "The guys saw you, they come in off the roof so no one sees them and they saw you with Elliot, you too must be close".  
  
Tailor blushed a little, but managed to hide her red face. Raph looked at her with some curiosity. "He's just my best friend, no biggy, anyway . . . he's going away for a week so I won't be hanging out with him".  
  
"Aww, well don't worry honey, plenty more fish in the sea". April smiled and handed everyone their hot chocolate - a chorus of 'thank yous' came in her direction.  
  
Tailor returned the smile. "Elliot comes back a day before I go back to India".  
  
"So you won't be here for Christmas day?" April took a sip out of her hot chocolate.  
  
"I'm afraid not, April".  
  
"Well, we'll miss you anyway!" Michelangelo got up and clapped his hands. "How about a game of Connect 4?"  
  
//  
  
For an hour everyone played Connect 4. Pairing up the teams. Tailor and April vs. Donnie and Leo. April and Donnie vs. Tailor and Mikey. It carried on until everyone had a go with April . . . or with Tailor.  
  
Tailor won most of the games with whomever she was paired up with, and she won hangman when she paired up with Raphael.  
  
"Ok, Mikey, go ahead". Tailor held the piece of paper in front of Mikey and smiled.  
  
Mikey looked at the letter and so did Leo, who was his partner.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
  
"Hmm . . . 'R'".  
  
"Ok, Leo, 'R'" Tailor put in the letter and handed the paper back.  
  
_ _ r _ _ _ _ _ _ _ r  
  
"How about 'T'?"  
  
"Sure Mikey", Tailor let Raph fill in the paper and watched him hand it back to Mikey.  
  
T_ r t _ _ _ _ _ _ r  
  
"Turtle Power"  
  
T u r t l e P o w e r  
  
"Great going Mikey, that was quick guessing".  
  
Mikey smiled. "I bet Raph told you to have 'Turtle Power'".  
  
"I did not . . . SHE thought of it".  
  
Tailor smiled and shook her head.  
  
April smiled and got up. She looked at her watch; 10:05; "I have to get ready for work, be right back people".  
  
They all watched her go up the stairs and close her bedroom door. Tailor got up as well. "I'll be right back, I just want to get changed, and my clothes are wet from the snowball fight". They all nodded at her and watched her go up as well.  
  
"Man", Donnie said when they were gone. "Girls sure changed their clothes a lot".  
  
"Yeah, totally", Mikey sat back down next to his brother on the sofa.  
  
"We better get going soon".  
  
"Aww, ok", Mikey frowned; he was having so much fun already.  
  
//  
  
"Ok, sorry it took so long", April came down a while later wearing a brown pair of trousers and a white jumper, complete with a brown jacket. She was fastening on her jewellery when she came down.  
  
Splinter smiled and nodded. "That's ok".  
  
April looked around her apartment, thinking someone was missing. "Where's Tailor?"  
  
"She went upstairs to get changed", Leo replied, putting down the magazine he was reading. "Said her clothes were wet from the snowball fight".  
  
"Oh, ok".  
  
//  
  
"Hey, sorry, I couldn't find my jeans", Tailor came down with her hair neatly tied back. She was wearing a blue pair of jeans and a long sleeved, blue cotton top which April thought made her eyes stand out more.  
  
"No problem, oh here Splinter", April got up and grabbed some blankets that were piled on top of her washing basket. "I know how cold it gets down there".  
  
"Thank you so much, my child".  
  
April smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back from work at 4:00, I'll come and see you, ok?"  
  
Splinter nodded and took the blankets off her. "We'll look forward to seeing you, but until then", he turned back to his sons and smiled. "Practice".  
  
"Aww, man!" Mikey sighed but got up and gave a cuddle to April, saying 'goodbye' as well. He walked over to Tailor who was standing near the stairs. He held out his arms and smiled. "Hug?"  
  
Tailor smiled and gave Mikey a small hug. "Bye Mikey", she watched him walk over to the kitchen and climbed out the window followed by his Master.  
  
Donnie then gave April and Tailor a hug, then followed his brother in orange. Then it was Leo's turn and he did the same thing. Raph was the only one left.  
  
Tailor figured he didn't like hugging so she held out her hand. "See ya Raph".  
  
Raph smiled a little and shook her hand. "Bye". He walked over to April and gave her a small hug. "See ya April".  
  
"Bye Raph".  
  
They both watched him climbed out of the kitchen window and climb up the ladder, onto the roof, until he was out of sight.  
  
//  
  
Tailor spent the whole day in. It was now nearly four and she sat on a stool near the counter, waiting for April to come home. She had ordered a pizza but it hadn't arrived yet. Just when she was going to ring back, the doorbell went. Tailor lifted herself up and walked to the door. She flicked her ponytail behind her shoulder and opened the door.  
  
"Oh my God, what do YOU want?"  
  
It was Scott. He held the pizza in his hand and was smiling at her. "Well, that's not nice, I've brought a delivery for O'Neill".  
  
"I'll take that!" Tailor grabbed the pizza out of his hands and put it on the small table near the door. "Here", she took 13 dollars out of her jean pocket and gave it to him. "Now leave".  
  
Scott put the money in his own pocket and smiled. "What if I don't wanna leave? Surely you'll invite a handsome guy like me in".  
  
"No". Tailor folded her arms. "After leaving me knocked out in an alleyway why should I?"  
  
Scott growled slightly. "And I supposed your jerky friend Elliot saved you? He's been after you ever since I came to that school".  
  
Tailor felt her face go red with anger. "He was my best friend before you even came to our school, I'll be very glad if you left me right now". She tried to close the door but Scott blocked it with his foot.  
  
"I'm coming in whether you like it or not!" He pushed past her and put a hand over her mouth. "Oh and, please don't scream, you'll only make things worse".  
  
//  
  
(Ouch, finger, well fifth ones up. Enjoy). 


	6. Sadness With No Tears

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 6: Sadness With No Tears  
  
"Hey Raph, watcha doing?"  
  
"Nothing Mikey", Raph shifted up on the sofa to let his brother sit next to him. Mikey smiled and plonked himself down next to Raph.  
  
"Want to watch some T.V?"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Sure".  
  
Mikey grabbed the remote and flicked on the T.V. Since Donnie was in his room typing away on his computer Mikey had nothing to do. Leo and Splinter were meditating so he couldn't do anything with them. So that led to one person. Raph.  
  
Mikey flicked on a film and smiled. "Oh boy, 'Muppets Christmas Coral'.  
  
"Oh boy", Raph rolled his eyes and sighed. "How many times have we seen this?"  
  
"30", Mikey replied, eyes fixed on the screen.  
  
"It was a rhetorical question Mikey".  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Means you don't need to answer".  
  
"Oh", Mikey frowned and shrugged. "Never mind, I'll go get the grub". He got up and ran to the kitchen, leaving Raph alone.  
  
Raph leaned back on the sofa and relaxed. He just heard the T.V say 'hey light the lamp not the rat! Light the lamp not the rat!' when a movement came near the ladder. Raph got up knowing it was April and walked over.  
  
But April wasn't coming down the ladder, Tailor was. Raph frowned and watched her take a step down the ladder, then jump the rest. "Man what have you been eating, wheatabix?"  
  
Tailor looked up at him with hardly any colour to her eyes.  
  
"Man, you look awful", Raph studied her carefully. Her hair was down and pieces covered her face. Her tanned face was now pale and her dimples seemed to have vanished, her eyes had lost all their brightest. "What's wrong?"  
  
Tailor swallowed trying to get her voice back. "I - I . . . he - I . . ."  
  
"Whoa, stop, you're not making ANY sense . . . tell me when you've got your full voice back". He grabbed her arm and sat her in Splinter's armchair, and sat himself on the sofa. "Now can you talk?"  
  
Tailor nodded. "He - Scott . . . he came to April's".  
  
Raph frowned; a sudden thought came to his head. "Where's April then?"  
  
Tailor shook her head, wanting to get her words out. "She - I . . . think she's still at work - b-but . . . Scott came in . . . I tried to stop him . . . b-but he pushed past me".  
  
"Are you hurt?" Raph asked.  
  
Tailor shook her head again. "I - I was so scared, he wouldn't leave . . . no m-matter how m-much I begged him . . . then he left, l-leaving me with bloody damn haunting words".  
  
"And they were . . .?"  
  
"H-he just said 'you'll be mine before you go to India' . . . b-but the l- look h-he gave me w-was just a-awful! . . . I-I locked t-the door when he left, b-but April d-didn't return . . . I-I had to c-come here".  
  
Raph nodded. "I'll go get Splinter".  
  
"No!" Tailor put a hand on his arm. "Y-you can't leave me, I'm scared".  
  
Raph sighed and patted her hand. "Don't worry, I just think you'd rather talk to Splinter, I'm not the person to deal with this if you cry".  
  
"You d-don't understand m-me Raph, I-I don't cry, I'm not l-like that".  
  
Raph frowned. It was true, she wasn't crying at all. Her eyes showed fear and he could feel her hand shaking on his arm; Raph was about to ask her why she never cried but Mikey walked in, carrying trays of food.  
  
"Hey Raph I got food, it's a bit out of date but never - whoa! Tailor what's wrong, you look awful, when did you get here? How?"  
  
Tailor gave him a shaky smile and took her hand off Raph's arm, which was still shaking slightly. "I - I had a spot of trouble, I'm ok, I just needed to come here".  
  
Mikey frowned and put his food on the floor, in front of the T.V. "What's wrong?"  
  
Tailor sighed and told him all about Scott, and how he came in the apartment against her will, and those words he whispered with pure evil before he left, she shivered at the memory.  
  
"Aww, are you ok?" Mikey held her hand and gave her a small smile.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine, I just had nowhere to go, and I need to talk to April".  
  
Mikey frowned. "Well April ran me earlier to say she was at work till late, about 8:00, your phone line must still be dead".  
  
Tailor nodded. "Kay".  
  
Mikey gave her a smile. "You can stay here, April said she would come here after work".  
  
Tailor smiled. "Thanks Mikey".  
  
"So", Mikey smiled and got up. "Want to watch 'Muppets Christmas Coral' with us?"  
  
//  
  
Leo got up and bowed to his master. "Thanks for the meditating practice, Master Splinter".  
  
Splinter smiled at his son and got up as well. "No problem, let's take a break".  
  
They both headed out of Splinter bedroom and into the main area of the lair. Looking around, they could see Raph, Mikey and Donnie on the floor watching T.V and . . . Tailor sleeping on the sofa?  
  
Leo frowned and walked over to where Tailor was sleeping, her hair draped over one side of her body. "I didn't know Tailor was here".  
  
"Yeah", Donnie agreed crunching on some popcorn, "neither did I, until Mr. Orange here told me she had a spot of bother with that Scott guy, poor girl, when I came in she couldn't stop shaking".  
  
Splinter walked over and sat in his armchair. "How long has she been here, Michelangelo? April will be worried".  
  
Mikey put a finger to his head. "About an hour, or more, and April rang me before Tailor came, she's coming here straight after work, at about 8:00, something like that, but Tailor didn't know, the phones are still down in the apartment".  
  
"She'll be safe here then, if she was shaking she must had have quite a fright".  
  
Leo sat on the arm of the sofa, near Tailor's head. "Must be exhausted as well, when did she go to sleep?"  
  
Mikey smiled at his brother. "Well when she sat down next to Raph, bless her, she fell to sleep after 5 minutes, right on Raph's shoulder".  
  
Leo smiled. "Bet she WAS exhausted then".  
  
Mikey nodded and turned his head back to the screen. "So we gave up the sofa and laid her on it, didn't want to disturb her".  
  
Splinter smiled at Raph and Mikey. "Very kind of you my sons", he looked at Tailor and could see her side rise up and down in time to her breathing, her face looking innocent as she slept, he watched her body give out a shiver. "We better give her a blanket, it'll give her some extra warmth".  
  
//  
  
"I'm sick of you throwing words into my mouth April! If you do that once more I'll get you fired! You here me! FIRED!"  
  
April walked out of chief Sternum's office and slammed the door. He was an idiot; she could never do an interview with him when he didn't answer her properly. Damn stupid, she thought, he should have never gotten into the police force.  
  
A man packing away a camera smiled at her and looked at his watch after timing her. "1:02, a new record April".  
  
April smiled and straightened out her jacket. "Thanks".  
  
He nodded at her and smiled. "See you tomorrow".  
  
"Tomorrow", April replied as she turned a corner.  
  
She left the office building and walked out into the dark streets of New York. She turned left and walked down a thin street, which was deserted.  
  
April walked over to a manhole and waited. Seconds later it moved and revealed Leo's blue bandanna and eyes. April smiled down at him. "Hi Leo".  
  
"Hey April, come on".  
  
April swung her legs over the side of the manhole and jumped down into the dark sewer. She dusted off her jacket and looked at Leo. "Everything ok? I can't stay long. I have to get home to Tailor".  
  
Leo smiled in the darkness and replaced the lid of the manhole. "No need, Tailor's here".  
  
"Huh? What?"  
  
"She's here, c'mon", Leo grabbed her hand. "Let's go".  
  
//  
  
"Oh my, she's not hurt is she?" April cupped her hands to her mouth and looked at Tailor. Donnie, Raph and Mikey were still on the floor and now Leo had joined them. Splinter still sat in his armchair.  
  
"No", Donnie answered, still eating some popcorn, "just asleep".  
  
April sighed and moved her hands away from her face. She sat on the arm of the sofa, near Tailor's feet and near Splinter. "When did she get here?" April turned to Splinter.  
  
"Quite a while, but she's been asleep all this time so I don't think she's noticed".  
  
April nodded. "Imagine, four days here and she's been knocked out and frightened, I hate that Scott, I know for sure he's Chief Sternum's son, and I hate him!"  
  
Splinter smiled a little. "At least Tailor could come here, would you like to wake her up and take her home?"  
  
April looked at her niece and smiled. "No, if it's alright I would like to stay here with her for an hour, then wake her up. Unless she wakes up on her own, I'm sure she will be very thankful that she had somewhere to go".  
  
Splinter nodded. "Very well, we will wait".  
  
//  
  
After an hour of watching Monster's inc. that April had brought them, the guys decided to wake Tailor up.  
  
Mikey moved towards her and then stopped. He looked at April and smiled slightly. "Umm, does she? Is she? You know, a grumpy person like Raph when she wakes up?"  
  
"Hey!" Raph glared at his brother.  
  
Mikey shrugged at him and turned to April. "Is she?"  
  
April laughed and shook her head. "No Mikey, she's not. She's like me, an early bird, she can get up easily".  
  
"Right", Mikey said slowly. He turned back to Tailor and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Hello? Tailor?" He shook her slowly. "Tailor? Tailor!"  
  
Tailor rolled over and whacked Mikey in the face.  
  
April tried not to laugh but a giggle escaped her lips. "I - I forgot to tell you that she has a habit of, erm, slapping people".  
  
Leo, Raph and Donnie laughed at Mikey who was rubbing his cheek.  
  
"It's not funny! That hurt!" Mikey moaned.  
  
"What hurt?"  
  
They all turned to find Tailor looking around, confused, as if trying to remember why she was there. She looked at Mikey and frowned. Her eyes squinted at him and his hand that was rubbing his cheek. After a few seconds silence her face broke into a small grin. She looked at Leo, Donnie and Raph and smiled. "I, erm, hit him, didn't I?"  
  
Leo, Donnie and Raph all nodded in reply.  
  
Tailor laughed, one that Raph noticed was a happy laugh, despite what happened to her.  
  
Tailor clutched the blanket that covered her and sat up. "Hehe, sorry Mikey"  
  
Mikey gave her a little smile. "S'ok, man, do you ALWAYS do that?"  
  
Tailor shrugged. "Depends on how I'm sleeping, you know, whether I'm dreaming or something like that".  
  
Mikey looked at April. "Could have told me before I tried to wake her!"  
  
April smiled and gave Mikey an innocent face. "Sorry", she turned back to Tailor and sat on the sofa properly. "You ok?"  
  
Tailor nodded. "Yeah", she turned her gaze to Splinter, "thanks for letting me stay Splinter".  
  
Splinter smiled. "Your welcome, feel free to come and stop anytime"  
  
//  
  
Back in April's apartment Tailor looked round nervously. She was scared that Scott would come round from behind a corner and frighten her.  
  
"Hey", April said softly and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"  
  
Tailor gave her a small nod and a smile. "Yeah, I'm ok, I'll get over it, there's not much I can do but forget it, and besides, being at the hairdressers with you tomorrow will make me feel better".  
  
April nodded and hugged her niece. "I'll make you some tea". She walked over to the kitchen and clicked on the kettle.  
  
Tailor smiled and ran up to her room. She clicked on the light and double- checked the bathroom; making sure no one was in there. She lay on the bed and grabbed her phone. A message was left on the screen for her. She pressed the button and the message popped up.  
  
Hey Tailor - I fount out that I'm leaving 2moro at 9:00, is that early for you? Or will you be able to come and see me off? Text back when you can - Luv Elliot xXx.  
  
Tailor smiled and opened a new message. Her appointment at the hairdressers was at 8:00, she'd have time to go home and have a shower then meet him. She quickly punched the keys on her 3310.  
  
Hey Elliot - sure I can make it; I'll be up way before that anyway - can you meet me outside the leisure centre? Tailor xXx.  
  
She sent it and waited. A few minutes later Elliot sent her another message.  
  
Totally - see you tomorrow, I'll meet you there at 8:40 - bye xXx.  
  
Tailor sent him a message back that said ' sure, bye, I'm going to put my phone on charge' and turned her phone off and plugged it in.  
  
"Tailor, tea!" April called from downstairs.  
  
Tailor jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom. She quickly gave her hair a brush and walked downstairs, wishing tomorrow came quickly.  
  
(Ok, finished part 6, thanks for the reviews everyone! Love ya all!) 


	7. Pretty In Pink, Haircuts, Goodbyes, & fa...

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 7: Pretty In Pink, Hair cuts, goodbyes . . . and facts.  
  
"I HATE pink!" Tailor tugged at the pink baggy jumper April had put her in and sighed. She turned to April with puppy-dog eyes. "Do I have to wear this?"  
  
"Yes", April jumped off the subway and Tailor followed her, "since most of your clothes need washing you might as well wear a baggy jumper and pink was the only one I had, and besides, you look pretty in pink".  
  
"But it's just not me April". Tailor walked beside April and they both headed to the hairdressers. "Look, I know we're like sisters and everything, and pink is a nice colour, but it just doesn't go with my personality, and with my long hair, I look like Barbie!"  
  
April laughed and tightened her scarf around her neck. "No you don't! I know it's not your personality style, but you'll have to make do with it until you get home, your clothes should be dry by then".  
  
Tailor sighed and nodded. "Fine".  
  
April smiled. "Then after do you want to see the guys? I have the whole day off today". They turned a corner and could see 'Cutters' just down the street.  
  
Tailor sighed again. "I'm meeting Elliot at 8:40, so can I meet you there? After I've said goodbye to him?"  
  
April nodded. "Sure, but, I know you got there last night but how did you actually know your way there?"  
  
Tailor smiled at her. "Even when I'm scared I'll remember the hardest places, and I just remember which corners we took, and it was a good job the manhole was slightly open or I wouldn't have got there at all!"  
  
When they reached the hairdressers Tailor opened the door and the smell of hair products reached her face. She wrinkled her nose and walked in.  
  
//  
  
"No", came Tailor's firm answer.  
  
The woman holding Tailor's hair in her hands sighed. "You don't want me to cut it to at least half way down your back, it seems long enough".  
  
"Nope", Tailor answered again, sitting in the chair, "just a trim and my fringe".  
  
April frowned in the other chair next to her. A woman was just spraying her hair with water. "You don't have a fringe".  
  
Tailor smiled and pulled a few layers from her hair. When the layers flowed over one side of her face April smiled. "Cool, it's pretty".  
  
Tailor flicked it aside and nodded. "It just needs cutting, I only have it showing mainly when I have my hair up, so there's just something to fall over my face".  
  
The woman named 'Rudy' behind Tailor smiled as well. "Very well, your hair is very long but it's the softest I've ever seen, how do you keep it like that?"  
  
Tailor tilted her neck to look at Rudy. "Talent; and loads of Loreal Kid's products"  
  
Rudy smiled and got out her scissors. "Ok, let's start cutting then".  
  
//  
  
"Gross, there's all hair down my back!"  
  
April smiled and unlocked the door to her apartment. "Just get in, every street we walked down boys gawped at you! Did you have to get Rudy to make your fringe look so great?"  
  
Tailor lifted up her hands. "What?"  
  
April shook her head and opened the door. Tailor ran in and bolted up the stairs. April giggled and shouted after her. "There's clean towels already up there!"  
  
"Thanks!" Came the reply followed by the sound of the shower.  
  
April took off her coat and hung it up and clicked on the kettle. In a few minutes she sat on a stool, a hot mug of coffee in front of her. April smiled to herself, she loved it when Tailor came, and it was like spending time with her sister-in-law again. Tailor may not have noticed but she was quite like her mother.  
  
//  
  
Tailor quickly dried her hair with the hair dryer and put it up, leaving her one-sided layered fringe down the side of her face. She put on her favourite black jeans and a red top, followed by a blue adidas coat she had brought with her. She quickly zipped up her coat and ran out of her bedroom.  
  
April was reading the newspaper when she got downstairs. Tailor smiled at her and slipped on her trainers. "I'll meet you down there, ok?"  
  
April nodded. "Sure, about 10 past 9, ok?"  
  
Tailor nodded, reminding April of her when she was younger. "Yeah, totally, see you later!" She ran out of the apartment, closing the door behind her.  
  
April smiled and went back to reading. "Chief Sternum promoted!" She shouted shocked, when she saw the second page. "A medal rewarded! Oh my God! Rubbish!" She threw the paper in the bin disgusted and finished off her coffee.  
  
//  
  
"Hey, Elliot", Tailor smiled at her friend and walked over to him, most of the time she would be waiting for him, but she had to get ready, today Elliot wore a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a dark blue, kappa coat.  
  
"Hey", he smiled at her and stood in front of her, "how's it going?"  
  
"Fine, April's washing your sweater, it will be all squeaky clean when you get back, ok?"  
  
"Sure", he nodded, "want to go get a drink? We have 20 minutes".  
  
Tailor put her hands in her pockets. "Yeah, Kay"  
  
//  
  
Five minutes later they both sat in a café, hot chocolate in front of them. Elliot sat opposite Tailor and looked at her. She had had a hair cut, he could tell. Her hair was high up and she had cut her fringe again. She looked so innocent, he thought, her plain adidas coat baggy on her and steam from the hot chocolate making her cheeks red.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
Elliot shook himself from his thoughts. "No, you just look . . . I don't know . . . different".  
  
Tailor smiled at him and sipped her hot chocolate. "Still the same on the inside, Mr. Blaine".  
  
Elliot nodded. "Yeah, guess so, how have you been anyway?"  
  
"Fine", Tailor frowned, she had to tell him, he had always been her friend, "Scott came round delivering a pizza, barged in of course and left me petrified, the usual".  
  
Elliot looked at her wide-eyed. "Oh Tailor, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
Tailor shook her head and looked at the table, she realised she was holding her mug so tightly her fingers started to burn. "Didn't see no point, I was fine".  
  
Elliot frowned at his friend. "Listen Tailor, I know you're not a emotional person, but I know when you've been scared, you're shaking a little".  
  
Tailor took her hands off her mug and kept her gaze on the table. "I was scared, I'd admit, Scott scares the hell out of me, ok? But I couldn't tell you, I didn't want you to worry".  
  
"So why did you?" Elliot willed his friend to look up at him, but she didn't.  
  
"Because . . . I can't keep things from you". Tailor answered quietly.  
  
Elliot leaned over and grabbed her hands. "I'm glad you told me", she looked at him with watery eyes but Elliot knew she would never cry, for some reason, she never did, only once when she broke her foot when they were young. But for some reason, a salty tear escaped her eye and rolled down her face. Elliot was slightly shocked but moved off the cushion chair and sat next to her on the opposite side. "You ok?"  
  
Tailor quickly wiped her eyes and mentally kicked herself for crying. "Sorry . . . I didn't mean . . . sorry".  
  
Elliot ran a hand through his hair. "What's wrong Tailor?"  
  
Tailor sniffed and sat back. Elliot put an arm around her shoulder and let her lean her head on his chest.  
  
"N-nothing, just that, Scott, he just, well, scares me".  
  
"He scares everyone, don't worry Tailor, you know I wouldn't go on this holiday thing if I didn't have to".  
  
Tailor lifted her head up and smiled at him. "I know, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry", she looked at her watch, wanting to get off the topic, "we better go, I know you've got to leave soon".  
  
Elliot nodded and stood up, helping her up after him. "Come on".  
  
//  
  
"Bye Elliot", she hugged him. They were best friends, Tailor thought, she saw some people smile when they walked past them, thinking Elliot was her boyfriend but she didn't care, no one could break their friendship. She broke away from him and smile. "Send me a postcard?"  
  
Elliot smiled and nodded. "Sure, you will be ok, won't you?"  
  
Tailor nodded back at him. "Of course, you just caught me off-guard, I'll be fine, just make sure you write and text me".  
  
"Here, I want you to have this, early Christmas present", Elliot took off a black chain with a 'Leo' (lion) symbol on it and gave it to her. "I know your birthday's in the same month as mine, so you can't lie to me and say it's not", he smiled at her and handed it over.  
  
Tailor looked at it. "But - this is yours, not mine".  
  
Elliot shook his head. "It's yours now, I read my horoscope and it told me it means safety and love, who knows", he shrugged, "maybe it'll bring you luck".  
  
Tailor smiled and tied it round her neck. "You're brilliant Elliot, thanks, as for safety, I know I will be, but as for love, yours is all I need", she lightly punched him playfully on his arm and gave him a hug. "See you in a week".  
  
Elliot kissed her cheek and smiled. "See you in a week".  
  
She waved him off and clutched the chain when he was out of sight. He was so sweet, she thought, a best friend anyone could ask for.  
  
//  
  
"Hey April! Hey guys!" Five minutes later Tailor was climbing down the sewer ladder and she walked over to April and the four turtles who were watching a movie. Tailor looked around and frowned. "Where's Splinter?"  
  
"Meditating", Mikey answered, eyes glued to the screen.  
  
Tailor shrugged and sat on the floor near Raph. "What are you watching?"  
  
Raph looked at her with a sad expression. "What am I watching? Nothing. They've been watching 'Santa ClausE' for ages!"  
  
Tailor frowned a little. "The one with Tim Allen? Where he shaves and goes, 'I'm in big trouble, hmmhmm?"  
  
Raph smiled slightly. She did good impressions like Mikey. "The one and only, at least you haven't been through this torture!" He lowered his voice to a whisper when the other's told him to hush. "I've been watching 'Muppet's Christmas Coral', been listening to that stupid sleigh and now I've been made to watch this because at the movies it's still 'A Nightmare Before Christmas'! And it's freezing!"  
  
Tailor giggled and whispered back. "Well, what can you complain about? You're lucky to have three brothers, I'm an only child".  
  
"Can I be one?"  
  
Tailor smiled and shook her head. "You'll see how lucky you are if you was an only child, the only main friends I have is Elliot, and you guys". She looked away from him and gazed back to the screen.  
  
Tim Allen was just asking the doctor how fast facial hair grows. 'I shave in the morning in the afternoon I look like this!' He pulled his face towards the doctor and Tailor smiled. This film was cool. But she preferred 'A Nightmare Before Christmas'; it was the last film she saw before her mum died.  
  
Tailor frowned and stood up. "Is it ok if I go get a glass of water?"  
  
"Sure", everyone answered, eyes still on the screen.  
  
Tailor quickly ran out of the living room and into the kitchen. She grabbed a cup that was hanging up and filled it with water. She sat down and drank it in one gulp.  
  
Raph came into the kitchen seconds later and sat down opposite her. He had seen her face expression change, even though his brothers didn't. "S'up?"  
  
Tailor smiled at him. "Nothing much"  
  
"Thought you was getting a drink of water?" He looked at her empty cup.  
  
Tailor smiled again and looked at it also. "I drank it".  
  
"Whoa, quick"  
  
"Yup, so why did you come in here?" Tailor gazed at him.  
  
"Just, saw how quickly your attitude changed, thought something might be eating ya".  
  
Tailor shook her head. "Nothing, but thanks for asking"  
  
Raph nodded. They sat in silence then Tailor broke the silence. "How come your different?" She asked.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"You, your brothers, all of you, just wondering . . . how come your all different? On the inside that is"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Dunno . . . Mikey's the funny one, Donnie's the smartest one, Leo . . . well Leo's sort of the smart / meditating one and I'm . . ."  
  
". . . Not like the rest of them", she finished for him.  
  
"How - how did you know?"  
  
Tailor smiled and rubbed her finger round the rim of her cup. "Easy, I've been there, when I was at school I never really fit in, it was cheerleaders with cheerleaders, smart ones with smart ones, jocks with jocks, sporty with sporty, I was only in the sporty one really but I was still different because of my Indian life style, so I know how you feel, even though you've never been through it, but it's similar to you and your brothers".  
  
Raph shrugged and thought about it. "Guess so, I think".  
  
Tailor got up and rinsed her cup out; she dried it with a towel and hung it back up. "Well, you may be different to us on the outside but on the inside you're just as unique", she smiled slightly, "a bit like me".  
  
She gave him one last smile and walked out of the kitchen.  
  
Raph sat there, still. Never had anyone said that to him. Except Splinter maybe. But she said it so nicely, he leaned forward on the table; how did she know so much? They had only known her for 4 days and she had only seen them a few times. He frowned a little, Tailor was nice but he wondered how she knew so much about him when he knew so little about her.  
  
//  
  
(Ok done, thank you so much for the reviews again! Love ya all! Number eight coming up soon! Hope ya enjoy! Thanks again everyone! Reviews help me a lot! * Wipes tear * I'm so happy, lol, ok, bye all! xXx). 


	8. You Don't Understand

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 8: You Don't Understand  
  
When Raph walked back in the room Mikey, Donnie, Leo and April still sat in the same place. Tailor was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Erm, where's Tailor?"  
  
"What?" Everyone said together. April searched round the room and realised she was missing. "Where did she go?" She asked with a bit of panic in her voice.  
  
"Did anyone see her leave?"  
  
"Is she ok?"  
  
"How long has she been gone?"  
  
"I dunno, we were watching a film! We can't do both and watch her as well, you know!"  
  
"Where did she go?"  
  
"I dunno - I didn't see nothing".  
  
"Maybe we should go look for her", Donnie suggested, after the questions had subsided.  
  
"Are you nuts?" Mikey look at his brother as if he was crazy. "It's freezing outside! And we don't even wear shoes!"  
  
April got up and did another quick search around the lair. "She couldn't have gone far, she hasn't got a key or anything to get in".  
  
Tailor's words floated through Raph's head. 'Well, you may be different to us on the outside but on the inside you're just as unique . . . a bit like me'. He had a feeling April was right. She couldn't have gone far. He quickly sneaked out, leaving the voices of panic down in the lair.  
  
//  
  
"Hey, now Raph's gone!" Mikey searched for his brother with no success. "Ok everyone is leaving me! Should I be taking a hint?"  
  
Leo smiled a little and shook his head. "Get a life Mikey, and lets just go find them".  
  
"There is nothing to find".  
  
They all turned round and saw Splinter standing near his bedroom door; he came over and sat down in his chair. "I have a theory", he began, "that they are both fine, all we have to do is wait for them".  
  
"What makes you so sure?" April asked, her panicking voice fading.  
  
Splinter smiled at her and nodded. "Absolutely. I think Tailor just needs to clear her mind, and Raph is just the only person she can turn to".  
  
//  
  
Raph walked around the cold sewers. He could see above him through the grates that the snow had cleared and it wasn't as cold. But he didn't have his coat and he felt a chill flow over him. He didn't know where Tailor was, but what harm could do in looking for her? Something about what she said had touched him. Not emotionally, but he had a feeling he should look for her.  
  
He turned a corner, checking for any sign of life. He got zero. Deciding to make his way back, he spun round. He walked a different way round to the lair just in case he bashed into Tailor.  
  
He never realised that a girl could cause so much curiosity. Maybe it was something hidden about her. Raph shrugged to himself. Maybe it was the uniqueness. Whatever it was, he couldn't put his finger on it.  
  
'On the day, I fall in love,  
  
Sky will be, a perfect blue,  
  
And I'll give my heart forever more,  
  
To someone who,  
  
Is just like you,  
  
The day I fall in love'.  
  
Raph paused in his tracks. Ok, he thought, I definitely, am NOT imagining that! He followed the voice, but it had already stopped. He sighed; maybe he did imagine it. He shook his head and turned back.  
  
'People always say love is wonderful,  
  
That the bells will ring.  
  
And birds will sing,  
  
And skies will open,  
  
And I wonder where's that great big destiny . . .'  
  
It faded but Raph had already found the source of it. Tailor . . . She was sitting. And now she was humming. He watched her rock herself backwards and forwards. She leaned back against the sewer wall and stared at the wall opposite her.  
  
Raph rested his hand on his belt and walked over to her. "Hey", he said softly.  
  
"JESUS!" Tailor shot up from her sitting position and punched him on his arm.  
  
"Hey, what was that for?"  
  
She smiled a little and sat back down using the wall for support. "For scaring me, you do know I want to live my life, don't you?"  
  
Raph rubbed his arm and frowned. "Had to hit so hard?" He asked with mock innocent and hurt.  
  
Tailor rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Raph sat down opposite her. "Is that the thanks I get? Everyone is worried sick about you and your asking what I am doing here? Are you crazy?"  
  
"Don't be sarcastic!"  
  
Raph lifted his hands up. "Ok, I'll admit, I'm sarcastic, but it's in my genes, but I was stating a fact, ok?"  
  
Tailor nodded and shrugged. "Fine, how nice of you"  
  
Raph folded his arms. "Now that's sarcastic".  
  
"No biggy, nothing's going to happen to me".  
  
Raph frowned at her changed of attitude. "So, may I ask WHY you're here?"  
  
Tailor looked at him. Her eyes sparkled but not as brightly as he thought. "Would you care about whatever reason I was here?"  
  
Raph shrugged.  
  
"Exactly, does it matter?"  
  
"To April, yes it does, she's all panicking about you".  
  
Tailor shrugged. "Tell her I said sorry".  
  
"TELL her?"  
  
Tailor looked away from him. "Yeah, tell her, cause I'm not moving".  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I was just thinking".  
  
"And singing?"  
  
Raph saw her eyes widened, but she kept her head sideways. "What?"  
  
"Singing", Raph repeated, "how did you think I found you?"  
  
She allowed a small smile and turned to him. "Tracking device".  
  
"Oh yes, beep, beep, beep, oh look, I found her, now what? Oh let's turn this thing off and go find a blood relative".  
  
She giggled at him. And her dimples showed. "Could be".  
  
"Suuuuuure", Raph crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knees. "So what were you thinking about?" He decided to talk to her and try and he wanted to persuade her to come back or April would have a panic attack.  
  
Tailor sighed, but allowed a smile. "You wouldn't understand".  
  
"Try me".  
  
She looked at him and concentrated on his face. She could hint curiosity and concern? Maybe. Elliot wasn't there. Her father wasn't there. Maybe Raph would understand.  
  
"I was just thinking . . ."  
  
Raph nodded. Just let her talk, he thought, if she wants to say something let her say it. I'm not good at this at all, he added, where's Mikey when you need him? Or Splinter? Or anyone besides him.  
  
". . . about my mother".  
  
"I - well . . . why?"  
  
Tailor gave him a small smile, but Raph could hardly see her in the darkness of the sewer. He could only see the features of her face and the faint glow of her eyes. Her long hair was resting against the wall of the sewer, and her fringe covered the side of her face.  
  
Tailor shrugged. "Memories, I'll admit that movie got to me, but you knew that, didn't you? You knew my face changed, my attitude, the only reason why is because Christmas reminded me of her. You see . . . she died last year, it was horrible. She died of cancer and because she was so ill she spent Christmas in hospital".  
  
She paused and Raph nodded at her to carry on. She gave a small nod and sighed. "Well . . . when she was all clear she was allowed out, it was the best Christmas ever, but unfortunately, one morning I went into her room . . . dad was out . . . and she wouldn't wake up, she just lay there, still, dead".  
  
"Must have been awful", Raph said quietly.  
  
Tailor nodded and sniffed.  
  
Raph looked at her. Not one tear escaped her eye. He knew that Tailor was like April a lot. But April would have cried, so why didn't Tailor? Why? Because he figured Tailor was strong. She reminded him a lot of himself.  
  
"Anyway", Tailor continued, "I just spent Christmas crying. And remembering the songs me and my mum sang together, that's why you caught me singing, it just came to me".  
  
"You gonna be ok?"  
  
Tailor smiled and nodded. "Yeah thanks. It's amazing you know Raph . . . I've known you for 4 days and already I can trust you . . . well you did save my life".  
  
Raph gave her a small smile and shrugged. "No problem".  
  
Tailor got up and extended her hand to him. "Come on, let's go back".  
  
Raph grabbed her hand and she heaved him up. "Jesus!" He said rubbing his fingers over her hand. "Your hands feel like ice!"  
  
Tailor shrugged and felt the warmth of his hand. "I've been out here longer then you . . . and - and . . ." she was cut off by a sneeze, "oops, bless me".  
  
Raph clutched her hand tightly. Concern waved over him and he shook it off. "I think you'll get sick if you stay out here".  
  
"Thank you Dr. Dolittle".  
  
Raph smiled. "Please, he does animals".  
  
"I'm fine!"  
  
"Look", Raph put Tailor's hand to her face.  
  
"Hey, that's cold!"  
  
"See, you're freezing, come on". He pulled her down the sewer tunnels, with her complaining behind him.  
  
As Raph walked down the sewer tunnels with her, thoughts rushed through his head. Why didn't she cry? Why did she tell him and not April or Splinter or any of his brothers? She let out another sneeze behind him and he said 'bless you'. Another thing; why did she leave to just think about her mum? Didn't she know she could catch cold and get ill? He wasn't a doctor, but even he knew that much.  
  
Maybe Tailor didn't show her emotions strongly. Maybe she didn't cry. But she had something. Something he couldn't guess. Something that made him wonder, the only problem was . . . what?  
  
(Ok, sorry if it took longer - I had my exams! BORING! As always THANK YOU for the reviews - I love ya all!! xXx - and forever, lol - more to come - Merry Christmas everyone!). 


	9. Nine Days To Go

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 9: Nine Days To Go  
  
"Wahoo! Nine days to go! Yeah!" Mikey was the last to get up in the sewer lair, but he was the only one keeping count of the days down to Christmas. "Yeah, nine days! Nine days!"  
  
"Aww shut him up!" Raph covered his ears along with Leo.  
  
"I will!" Donnie volunteered. He got up off the sofa and walked over to Mikey. He quickly put a hand over his mouth and gave him a stern look and shook his head.  
  
"Hmm - hmm - hmm - hmm!"  
  
Donnie looked at his brothers and shrugged. "Wha'?" He took his hand away from Mikey's mouth and watched him take a breath. "What did you say?"  
  
Mikey smiled at his brother. "Nine - days - to - go!" He shouted, nearly deafening him.  
  
Donnie rolled his eyes and sighed. "It's gonna be a loooooong day".  
  
//  
  
Meanwhile, Tailor was already up and awake. The truth was; she couldn't get to sleep at all last night. She kept thinking about what she had said to Raph. Did she have to tell him what happened to her mum? Tailor turned the kettle on and got a cup out of one of the kitchen cupboards. She smiled to herself and sat down on a stool while waiting for the kettle to boil. It made her feel better telling Raph anyway. Couldn't hurt letting him know, could it? Who was he going to tell?  
  
The kettle let off a 'click' and Tailor poured the hot water in her cup. She watched the tea bag float to the top and began to stir it. When she and Raph had gone back to the den she was surprised that April wasn't even panicking, she had smiled at her and told her to say where she was going to go next time. Tailor had just nodded and agreed.  
  
She took the tea bag out of the cup and chucked it away. She needed some hot fluids. I should have listened to Raph, she thought, because now I'm stuck with a cold. Maybe Raph didn't show emotions like her. Maybe he was different from his brothers. But there was something . . . just unique . . . about him. Something that is separate from his brothers. They all had differences.  
  
Leo seemed to be calm and in control most of the time. Also Tailor noticed that he worshipped Splinter and respected him a lot.  
  
Donnie is very smart. Must have a huge IQ, Tailor thought. He was funny and used his brain for something useful. She admired how he didn't brag about his cleverness.  
  
Raph . . . well she couldn't describe him. He hid his qualities. She saw him practicing once but that was it. Other than that she didn't know.  
  
Mikey. He is funny; cool, hip, a great laugh. He seemed the party and playful type. It was amazing how cute he was. He could put on an innocent face and smile that a normal parent would melt at.  
  
Splinter. Tailor liked Splinter. When Raph took her back last night he had spoken to her on his own. They both sat in the kitchen and he spoke to her with such a soft and calm voice.  
  
"I am guessing you'll be sad when you leave, my child?" He had asked her with such respect in his voice, making her think she didn't have to answer if she didn't wanted to.  
  
"Totally", she had replied.  
  
Tailor sighed and sipped her tea. She would miss everyone when she went back. April. Definitely Elliot. The guys. Maybe she had only known them 5 days, but a bond grew between them that she couldn't bare to leave.  
  
//  
  
"Ok, since it's freezing and we can't go to April's because of the snow, what do you want to watch? We have Monsters Inc? Or we could watch A Bug's Life. Or do you want to watch Grinch?"  
  
Mikey looked at his brothers, waiting for an answer from one of them.  
  
"I'm sick of T.V", Donnie moaned, resting his feet on Leo's lap, "and I stare at a computer screen 24 / 7".  
  
"Me too", Leo agreed.  
  
"Umm, I'm up for Grinch", Raph smiled a little. "Nothing else to do. Is there?"  
  
Mikey shrugged and put the videos on the floor. "How about we do some practicing, at least we'll be in shape for when April comes here tonight?" He smiled a cute smile. "Please?"  
  
Leo rubbed his cheek, thoughtfully. "Sure".  
  
"Ok".  
  
"Do I have to?"  
  
All three turtles stared at Raph.  
  
He gazed from one face to another and sighed. "Fine, fine, but don't expect me to go easy on ya all".  
  
//  
  
3:00. Bored. 3:30. Bored.  
  
Tailor sighed and put on a video. April had a news report to do all day and since the snow came down last night the guys couldn't come to her. And she couldn't go to them because April and her had lost the spare key. She put in Stuart Little and watched the Trailers past.  
  
"Might as well watch something instead of lying on the sofa all day", Tailor said to herself. Because that's what she had done. Sat all day playing games on her mobile phone.  
  
The movie started and Tailor quickly ran to the kitchen and fixed herself a ham and brown sauce sandwich. She grabbed a can of Sprite from the fridge and sat back down.  
  
Just as it got to Stuart's grand entrance her mobile beeped. Tailor grabbed it and read the message on the screen.  
  
Party at mine - two days time - can you make it? It's on at 7:00 till 9:30. Text back please. Luv Emma.  
  
Tailor smiled and opened a new message. Emma wasn't her best friend but she had looked after her stuff when Tailor first arrived. And they had known each other for a few years now.  
  
Sure - I'll check it with April then get in touch with ya - thanks. Luv Tailor xXx.  
  
Tailor opened her can and sat her sandwich on her lap. Her phone vibrated seconds later.  
  
Great - it isn't a dress-up or anything - so I don't mind if you come in jeans - come in a cow costume for all I care, lol - bye xXx.  
  
Tailor text back 'bye' and put her phone of the arm of the sofa. Emma was great. She didn't care that Tailor hung around in jeans all day. Tailor did wear dresses, just not all the time. Only if it was formal, family occasion or a celebration. Tailor smiled at the T.V and took a bite out of her sandwich. Stuart Little was a cool film.  
  
'Are you cosy?' She watched the cat, Snowbell (Nathan Lane's voice) ask him.  
  
'Y-yes, thank you -.'  
  
'Cos all I've got to sleep on is a rag in the corner you little runt!'  
  
'You seem tense'. Tailor watched Stuart sit up on his bed (which was 100 times to big for him).  
  
'Tense! Ewe, I'm waaaay past tense'.  
  
Stuart got up off his bed and walked over to the white cat. 'W-well, maybe I can help, what do you like? I could scratch your ears. I could rub your tummy?'  
  
Aww, Tailor thought, Stuart is cute when he says that last sentence.  
  
'How'd you like to rub it from the inside mouse boy?'  
  
Tailor leaned back in her chair and sighed. This was a fun film. But normally she'd watch it with Elliot and he would do the impression of Stuart or interrupt it on purpose and they'd both end up play fighting.  
  
//  
  
"Umm, go easy on us, huh Raph?" Mikey smiled and watched Raph get up, using the ladder at the entrance of the lair to hold him up.  
  
"How can I when you lot round up on me?" Raph groaned and walked slowly over to the sofa. He sat down opposite his Master who was sitting in his chair.  
  
"Patience Raphael"  
  
Raphael sighed and put his sais on the floor. "I'm sick of practicing, can't we just watch Grinch, anything for that matter?"  
  
Splinter smiled and shook his head. "Aww, Raphael".  
  
//  
  
The cast rolled up and Tailor pressed stop on the video recorder. Her phone beeped again and she sighed. Scott had sent loads of messages to her through nearly the whole movie.  
  
'Maybe we should spend Christmas together?'  
  
'If you're wondering how I got your mobile number, how do you think? After all . . . my dad is a policeman, don't forget that'  
  
'I'll get you'  
  
'You'll be mine'  
  
'I'm God's gift, any girl would want me'  
  
'You can't hide from me, Tailor'  
  
'I do know where you live'  
  
'I'm the best offer you'll get'  
  
'Elliot doesn't stand a chance with you'  
  
They never stopped. In the end she had to turn her phone off. But then she remembered Elliot and turned it back on. She opened up the message and was relived to see it was from Elliot and not Scott.  
  
Hey, you ok? It's a bit boring here but I do have my gameboy advance for emergencies! Missing you. I'll be back in 6 days! Luv Elliot xXx. P.S If Scott bothers you, just tell me, ok? Bye.  
  
Tailor smiled glad. She was about to open a new message but another text popped up.  
  
'Love ya, Baby! Scott'  
  
Tailor quickly deleted it and sent a new one to Elliot.  
  
Hey - I'm fine - sorry you're board - missing you too - I'm still waiting for that postcard! Lol - and don't worry about Scott - I'm not scared of him anymore . . .  
  
It was partly true, Tailor thought.  
  
. . . Cya in 6 days. Luv Tailor xXx.  
  
She got one back five minutes later from him saying 'I'll text you in the week' and she got up and decided to have a shower. April would be back soon and then they were going to see Splinter and the guys.  
  
//  
  
"I'm winning!"  
  
Mikey had challenged Raph to play on Sonic The Hedgehog with him and now they were both holding the SEGA controls and trying to complete the game before each other.  
  
"No you're not Mikey! Not now!" Tails (or Raph who was playing him) zoomed past Sonic (Mikey's character) and got past to the end. "Hehe".  
  
Mikey frowned and put the control in front of him. He folded his arms. "Aww, not fair, that's it! When April and Tailor come here I'm having Tailor play! She won't cheat like you do!"  
  
"Who said I cheat?"  
  
Mikey smiled at his brother. "I do".  
  
//  
  
"I'm home!" April walked in her apartment and saw that Tailor had cleaned and tidied up for her. "Tailor?!"  
  
Tailor ran down the stair with a pair of blue jeans on and a three-quarter length, white and blue adidas top on and adidas trainers. Her hair was plaited and flowed down her back; she was tying a chain around her neck. "Here", she smiled at April.  
  
April smiled; she heard from Tailor that Elliot had given her that chain. "I see you've already got ready, give me 10 minutes and we'll go, ok? I can't get dressed as quickly as you!"  
  
Tailor nodded and smiled. "Sure, oh and just so you know I went upstairs about half an hour ago".  
  
//  
  
(Ok finished - oh, yummy, ham and brown sauce (lovely combination for a sandwich - lol - hope I didn't gross you out!) and I thought putting some Stuart Little film in there might entertain you! Thanks for all the reviews! Love ya! More to come!) 


	10. Snowed In

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 10: Snowed In  
  
Tailor and April arrived at the turtle's liar at 6:00. It was pitch black outside, but it was a good thing because they managed to sneak easily down alleyways.  
  
Tailor jumped down the ladder in one big leap.  
  
Splinter smiled at her from his chair. She has so much energy, he thought, it would take her ages to tire her out.  
  
Tailor smiled at him and waited for April to climb down. April jumped the last two steps and walked over to the guys, Tailor following behind.  
  
"It's freezing out there", April said taking off her gloves and her denim jacket. She had changed into a pair of black jeans and a warm, cream polo neck top.  
  
Tailor unzipped her adidas coat and gave it to April, who hung it on the coat stand near the ladder.  
  
Mikey and Raph still sat playing on the SEGA and Tailor sat next to Raph. She mouthed 'hello' when he looked at her and he said 'hi' back. Both turtles were competing against each other and couldn't look at anyone else.  
  
April sat herself down in between Leo and Donnie on the sofa. They both said 'hi' to her and then turned their attention back to Raph and Mikey's game.  
  
A beeping noise came from the T.V and Mikey lightly punched Raph's arm. "Ha! I win! Tailor, want a challenge?"  
  
Tailor smiled and shrugged. "Sure".  
  
Raph swapped places with her and handed her the control. "By the way", he whispered, "watch out for the spins, Mikey does them unexpected".  
  
Tailor nodded. "Thanks, that makes me feel so much better".  
  
"Ready?" Mikey asked her when she was sat down. He smiled at her and put his finger on the 'start' button.  
  
"Ready".  
  
Mikey hit the button and his Sonic character ran straight past Tails. Tailor frowned but quickly ran to catch up with him. She succeeded, and in seconds they were drawn, both trying not to get eaten by biting fish.  
  
Tailor quickly pressed the 'B' button on the control and suddenly Tails started to fly up in the air and over the fish.  
  
Raph frowned and leaned over to Tailor. "I never knew Tails could do that", he said, everyone heard him and nodded in agreement.  
  
Tailor smiled and leaned left, towards him. "Well", she whispered but so the others could hear, "I have this game on my gameboy, and if you keep pressing 'B' he'll fly".  
  
Raph smiled and looked at her hand. Her finger was on the 'B' button and was tapping on it like mad. "Doesn't that get tiring?"  
  
Tailor looked over at Mikey. He had his eyes fixed, full of concentration, on the screen. She glanced back at Raph and gave him a smile, her eyes glow with the fun she was having and her tanned dimples appeared. "Tiring? Maybe . . . for me? . . . No way!"  
  
Raph smiled and sat back.  
  
Tailor turned her gaze back to the screen and made Tails land perfectly. With his tail behind him, he ran through the finish sign and jumped in the ring that appeared in the air.  
  
Mikey frowned. "Aww, she got the bonus round!"  
  
Tailor smiled and put a hand on Mikey's arm. "Don't worry Mikey, I know a cheat to get me AND you in the bonus round". Tailor took her hand away from his arm and clicked her control. The bonus round appeared but instead of just Tails on the screen, Sonic stood next to him.  
  
Mikey smiled. "How did you do that?"  
  
"Talent", Tailor replied, "ready?"  
  
Mikey gripped his control and nodded. "Ready".  
  
And they were off. Tails went on one side of the screen. Sonic went on the other. They met up in the middle and made their way through all the little diamonds to the main emerald. Tailor quickly dodged the red balls at the end of the maze and managed to join Mikey, who was getting his character to fight through the diamonds. Tailor helped him and the emerald stared them in the face, but the maze still rotated.  
  
"Go on", Tailor said, "get it".  
  
Mikey nodded and made Sonic spin into the emerald. It disappeared and the 'Congratulations' came up.  
  
Mikey lifted his hand and Tailor gave him a high-five. "We should team up more often Tailor".  
  
Tailor smiled and nodded.  
  
"Ok Michelangelo", Splinter said, breaking the silence, "unplug the SEGA, too much T.V is bad for you".  
  
Mikey sighed. "Ok". He leaned over to the T.V. "I can't even reach the plug, man, I need to slim down".  
  
Tailor laughed and lay on her stomach. She leaned sideways and put her hand behind the T.V, she pulled the plug to the SEGA out and Sonic and Tails disappeared from the screen. "Here Mikey", she handed the plug to Mikey and smiled. "Can someone help me up?"  
  
Raph was closest to her and extended his hand out. She grabbed it and he heaved her up. She rubbed the dust from her jeans and let go of his hand. "Phew, thanks, anyone could suffocate under there!"  
  
Splinter smiled. "Put on the news, Michelangelo".  
  
Mikey grabbed the remote from the floor and flicked on the Channel 3 news. "Aww, whether report, boring".  
  
Tailor turned round and rested her elbow on her knee. April sat back on the sofa, along with Donnie and Leo. Mikey crossed his legs and leaned forward, nearly blinding his eyesight.  
  
Raph leaned against the sofa and looked at Tailor. She was in a whispered conversation with Mikey. It was amazing. Five days and she had already become their friend. But she was their friend from day one. She had taken a liking to all of them. Raph watched her rest her cheek on her hand that made her look so young, yet still full of energy.  
  
Splinter smiled at his son. His attitude had changed quite a bit and he was guessing that it wasn't just a Christmas spirit. It was something to do with Tailor. They didn't know each other that well but she had something that made his son seem different. Something Raphael's brothers wouldn't be able to give. Something from deep inside.  
  
'. . . Therefore, we suggest you stay in your home till early in the morning, going out could be dangerous . . .'  
  
Splinter shook himself from his thoughts and looked at the T.V. He smiled at the new lady, who wasn't April. He turned to his sons, Tailor and April who were looking at him. "I guess it means you're snowed in".  
  
"Snowed in?" Tailor looked at April nervously. "Snowed in?"  
  
April nodded. "Don't worry, it'll be ok".  
  
"Snowed in?" Tailor repeated, looking blank. "We're snowed in? Great! I hate being snowed in!"  
  
April sighed. "It's ok Tailor, no harm will come to you".  
  
Tailor frowned. "Not that. I never said I cared if we got snowed in."  
  
"Then what are you so worked up about?" April asked, both eyes on Tailor.  
  
"I've booked a gymnastic class tomorrow morning!"  
  
April stared at her. Then her face broke into a grin. "Don't worry, Tailor, they'll clear up the snow, you'll be there in time for your gymnastic class".  
  
"Oh my, oh my, I can't miss my gymnastic class!"  
  
The guys all looked at each other and smiled. No wonder Tailor had so much energy. She always had to use some of it.  
  
April smiled and shook her head. "You won't, don't worry".  
  
Tailor looked at April with sad eyes that melted her. "Don't worry? I need to worry. I need something to pass the time".  
  
"Back flips", Mikey suggested.  
  
"What?" Tailor turned to him.  
  
"You go to gymnastic right?"  
  
Tailor nodded.  
  
"You can do handstands, crabs, headstands, all that stuff right?"  
  
She nodded slowly at him again. "Yeah".  
  
"Well I know for sure you can practice some moves here, it'll pass the time, since you'll have to sleep here anyway".  
  
Tailor gazed across at Splinter who nodded. "Certainly, and maybe Michelangelo can teach you some new techniques".  
  
Mikey nodded and bounced up off the floor. "Sure, come on, it'll give us something to do, what do ya say?"  
  
Tailor smiled. "Sure".  
  
//  
  
Later that night Tailor couldn't sleep. She lay on Raph's bed fully dressed. Since she and April had got snowed in Leo had given April his bed and Raph had given Tailor his. They both had slept in the main area, but Tailor felt guilty for taking their space.  
  
She swung her legs over the bed and pulled herself into a sitting position. Mikey and her had done back flips all night and different handstands. He even taught her a move that she could use to defend herself if she got into any danger.  
  
She opened Raph's bedroom door and walked into the main area of the lair. She could see one turtle sleeping silently on the sofa. She tiptoed to the kitchen and saw a glow of light under the door. She pulled the door open and smiled. Raph was sitting near the kitchen table, a can of coke in his hand. He looked at her with sleepy eyes.  
  
"Hey", he said tiredly.  
  
"Hi", she pulled out a chair and sat opposite him.  
  
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked her.  
  
She shook her head and put a hand through her hair, which was still in a lose plait.  
  
"Me either", he replied.  
  
"What time is it?" She asked him, trying to hide a yawn.  
  
"5:00".  
  
"Never!" She whispered with alarm. "Thought it might be 1:00 or something, oh well, at least the night's mostly over".  
  
"Yeah", Raph took a sip of his drink, "want a coke?"  
  
Tailor nodded. "Sure".  
  
Raph got up and opened the fridge. He tossed her a can of coke, which she caught perfectly. He sat back down opposite her.  
  
Tailor smiled at him and put the can in front of her. "Better wait till it's fizzed down".  
  
Raph frowned. "Damn, Mikey would fall for that".  
  
"Not me Mr."  
  
After 5 minutes she opened her can. It fizzed but didn't spill all over. She took a gulp out of it and looked over at Raph.  
  
"So", she said, "what's on the agenda for you and your brothers today?"  
  
Raph shrugged and finished off his drink. "Dunno, since it's freezing outside we'll watch T.V, practice, watch T.V, do some more practice, etc, etc, etc".  
  
Tailor smiled. "Lovely . . . you know . . . just because you're stuck indoors doesn't mean you can't entertain yourself".  
  
"Yeah . . . well . . . you're lucky, you don't have to stay cooped up inside, you can go out, run, have snowball fights, anything".  
  
"And then after it always gets old", she gave him a long, lazy smile, "don't worry, you're not missing much".  
  
A beeping noise echoed throughout the lair. Raph squinted his eyes a little trying to make it out. "What's that?"  
  
Tailor opened her eyes wide and got up. "Uh oh, oops, excuse me". She quickly ran from the kitchen and into the room, she tiptoed over to the ladder - trying not to wake Leo - and grabbed her mobile from inside her jacket pocket. She quickly ran back to the kitchen and sat back sat opposite Raph.  
  
"Message?" Raph asked, rubbing his eyes. "Bit early isn't it?"  
  
Tailor nodded and opened the message. "It's from Emma", she whispered after a moments silence, "she put 'party 2moro night, hope you can make it. Love Emma'"  
  
Raph smiled at her a little. "Party? Not missing much, huh?"  
  
Tailor smiled and shrugged. "Twist my words why don't you? This is just a small party, nothing big, you're still not missing much".  
  
Raph folded his arms and leaned back in his chair - not that he leaned back far . . . he has a shell for Christ sake! "Suuuuuure", he whispered.  
  
"Yeah . . . Suuuuuure . . . I better cancel my gymnastic class".  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Might as well, and besides, I need a new outfit".  
  
Raph smiled. "Oh so it's a dress-up? I'd say you're there".  
  
Tailor gave him a nasty glare. "Very funny, I better ring Daniel and cancel".  
  
Raph frowned at her. "Bit early to ring, isn't it?"  
  
She shook her head and opened her phone book. She found Daniel's number and put the phone to her ear. "No", she said to Raph while it was ringing, "he gets up at 4:00, he's a fitness instructor".  
  
Raph watched her and listened to her side of the conversation.  
  
"Hey Daniel . . ." she looked over at Raph and gave him a smile, ". . . I have to cancel . . . hey don't blame me! I'm snowed in at my mates . . . yes, I know, don't worry, I'll book another one when I'm here . . . I don't care if the rowing machine's gonna be lonely! . . ."  
  
Raph smiled and shook his head. Tailor rolled her eyes at the phone.  
  
". . . I don't care if you're gonna be lonely, either . . . yes I know you love me . . . I'm whispering because my mate's in bed . . . I'm fine . . . took you a while to ask didn't it? . . . ok . . . yes . . . yes, I know you care . . . yep . . . love you too . . . talk to you soon . . . bye".  
  
She clicked the phone off and put it on the table. She sighed and put a hand through her hair.  
  
"Problem?" Raph asked.  
  
"Nah . . . he was just disappointed", she smiled, "he always is if I cancel . . . but I'm disappointed as well".  
  
"Because you're not going?"  
  
"Nah . . . because I can't go on the rowing machine!" She took a sip of her coke and looked at the can. "You know . . . you should drink 'Diet Coke'"  
  
"Don't matter", Raph answered, "you run it all off anyway".  
  
"Thanks", she said, yawning.  
  
"Why don't you go back to bed?"  
  
"Can't", she said, "once I'm up, I'm up".  
  
"I kind of expected you to be the lazy type".  
  
She smiled at him and put her hand through her hair. "Thanks . . . how nice of you to say that . . . but I expected you to be the lazy type".  
  
"I am", Raph said, "but this is a one off".  
  
"Well . . . I don't normally get up at 5:00 . . . but what could once hurt?"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Can't . . . I suppose".  
  
She nodded. "Exactly . . . and besides . . . start of the day . . . it does a person good to get up early".  
  
"Not at 5:00!!"  
  
//  
  
(Ok, ending this one here, and the party's coming up soon! Thanks for the review everybody! Love ya all! xXx. Thanks again!) 


	11. Shopping And Thoughts

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 11: Shopping And Thoughts  
  
Tailor and April arrived home at 9:00. Everyone in the sewer woke up at 8:00. Tailor and Raph were already up. They spent three hours talking and finally Splinter had woken up along with April, then Donnie, Mikey and Leo woke up five minutes later. Tailor and April decided to go home and do some Christmas shopping. They agreed to see the guys later.  
  
"Finally! Home! SHOWER!" Tailor ran upstairs and into her room.  
  
April smiled and shook her head. "Want some tea?" She shouted up the stairs.  
  
"Yes please!" Came the answer, followed by the sound of running water.  
  
April walked into the kitchen and clicked on the kettle. She was surprised at Tailor's energy. She couldn't just run home then run upstairs to the shower. April smiled to herself; her and her niece were like sisters. It was amazing how well they got along.  
  
//  
  
Tailor let the hot water run down her back and hair and sighed. It was amazing. She had spoken to Raph for three hours straight and she told him everything. In detail! Somehow she had sat there, not saying anything . . . then it came pouring out! Tailor grabbed the shampoo bottle and started to pour some on her hair. She put it back down and started to massage her head. Well . . . she hadn't told Raph everything. But she told him enough, that she had only told Elliot before. But he had listened. He had sat there and listened. He looked uncomfortable. But he had still listened. She told him how his mum got cancer. When she got it. How Tailor had took it. How she thought her mum was going to die straight away. How her dad had taken care of her. But it was just the fact that she told him. She felt she could trust him. He was easy to talk to.  
  
Tailor turned the shower off and stepped out. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked into the spare bedroom. She chucked her dirty clothes in the laundry basket and grabbed a clean pair of black jeans, a light yellow, three quarter length top and clean underwear. She quickly dried herself down and got changed. She grabbed a yellow, zip up jacket, with 'Tailor' written on one side. She put it on and felt the warmth of it.  
  
Tailor ran back in the bathroom and tidied it up. She rinsed the bottom of the shower out and then brushed her teeth. She grabbed the towel and gave her hair a quick dry before hanging it back up.  
  
She ran back into her bedroom and grabbed her hairdryer. She plugged it in and clicked it on. It hummed and she quickly began to dry her long hair. Since her hair was so long her dad had brought her a high-powered hairdryer that could dry her hair in ten minutes. After it was fully dry Tailor grabbed a hair bobble with two big square beads on the end and began to plait her long hair. She plaited it loosely so it flowed nicely down her back and she pulled her small, layered fringe out making her face look complete.  
  
Tailor's nice, yellow / blonde hair matched her jacket and top and made her hair glow. She was a beautiful girl and had a lovely figure, but Tailor never paid attention to her looks. She realised she wasn't one of those girls that showed off their figure and flirted with boys. She just wanted, once, that someone would like her for her. Not a pretty blonde. Elliot was the only one that didn't go looks, and also Splinter and the guys.  
  
With a sigh she unplugged her hairdryer and put it in her travel bag. Maybe she didn't show off her looks . . . but why should she? . . . She could do what she wanted. She ran back down the stairs and saw April drinking steaming tea. April smiled at her and gestured with her hand that Tailor could sit down opposite her.  
  
Tailor smiled and sat down on a stool. She saw that April had left a cup of tea out for her. "Thanks", she said.  
  
"No problem", April smiled, "I'll take 20 minutes getting ready then we can go, ok?"  
  
Tailor sighed and ran her finger round the rim of her cup. "Yeah, ok".  
  
"Something wrong?" April asked.  
  
Tailor flicked her fringe back and smiled. "I was just thinking".  
  
April nodded. She knew her niece. Tailor didn't like to talk about what she was thinking. April understood that. When she was a teenager she also liked her privacy. She finished off her tea and stood up. "I'll be right back, then we'll do a shopping spree, ok?"  
  
Tailor nodded. "Sure".  
  
April put her empty cup in the sink and headed up the stairs.  
  
//  
  
Raph walked into the kitchen, sighing slightly. His three brothers were sitting at the table and Raph perched himself in between Donnie and Leo.  
  
"Hey Raph", Leo said. "Aren't you even tired?"  
  
"Nope", Raph answered. After three hours of talking to Tailor, he didn't feel the least bit tired. "Not one bit".  
  
Leo frowned at his brother. For some reason it seemed as though Raph was hiding something . . .  
  
"I know why he's not tired", Mikey said, interrupting Leo's thoughts. "It's because Tailor put a 'love-bug' charm on him, he's gone gaga", Mikey smiled and took a chunk out of the pizza he was holding.  
  
"Don't be daft Mikey", Donnie said, grinning. "You know that you're just jealous cause you fancy Tailor".  
  
Mikey frowned innocently. "Says who?"  
  
"Me", Donnie replied.  
  
"Ok guys, enough, Raph does not love Tailor", Leo smiled a little at his brother who gave him a 'thank you' look. "We all know that Tailor is cool, just don't lose your heads".  
  
"I ain't lost my head!" Mikey said.  
  
"You know Mikey, you sound like Haggle from Labyrinth", Donnie pointed out.  
  
"It's Hoggle", Mikey corrected. "But I'm cuter", he added with a smile. "But . . ." he continued, ". . . you can't tell me Tailor's not cute?"  
  
"You're right Mikey, Tailor is cute, BUT, you're the one who's all gaga over her, not Raph", Donnie smiled.  
  
"Hey, I said she's cute, I don't go gaga", Mikey sat back in his chair and smiled.  
  
//  
  
April and Tailor went in all kind of stores. Clothes ones; shoes; Christmas stores . . . everything. After two hours of shopping they walked in a café just outside of the shopping mall. April brought them both a hot chocolate each and they sat themselves in the corner of the café, getting a few 'hellos' to April from the locals.  
  
"So, happy with what you've brought?" April asked when they had sat down.  
  
Tailor smiled at her aunt. "Yeah, be great for Emma's party". Tailor had brought a nice pair of glittery, black bootleg trousers. She already had some black boats that she had brought with her. They weren't too high, but were comfortable for dancing in, which she loved to do at Emma's house. She had brought a white, sleeveless top and the neck of it flowed round in different layers of material.  
  
April smiled at her and drank some of her chocolate. "Great, are you sure you can walk home when the party's finished?"  
  
"Yeah", she answered with a smile. "I can walk home. Emma doesn't live that far away from you . . . I'll be fine".  
  
//  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do t -."  
  
"That is enough", Splinter walked in between his two sons and looked at each one of them. "Why are you bickering?"  
  
Mikey glared at Donnie then Donnie glared at Mikey.  
  
"He cheats", Mikey answered when Donnie didn't say anything.  
  
"Do not!" Donnie replied.  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do n -."  
  
"Ok, stop", Splinter said it firmly, but he was smiling on the inside. When Donatello and Michelangelo practiced together, one of them always says that the other one cheated.  
  
"Do too", Mikey whispered, his weapons in his hands.  
  
"Michelangelo, do you have something to say?" Splinter asked him.  
  
Mikey gave his Master a small smile and shook his head.  
  
"Good, now please practice without fighting".  
  
"Yes, Master Splinter", they answered and gave him a bow, then held their weapons, facing each other.  
  
Leo and Raph watched from the sofa as their brothers practiced. Donnie and Mikey were practicing near the entrance of the den and Leo and Raph had taken a break. Splinter sat back down in his chair and carried on watching Donnie and Mikey fight.  
  
Donnie swung his Bo at Mikey and his brother ducked. Mikey put his weapons back in their pockets and tripped his brother up. Donnie landed with a thud on his shell and stayed there, his Bo lying next to him.  
  
Mikey walked over to his brother and smiled. "Ouch", he said.  
  
Donnie gave a small smile. "Yeah, ouch, now help me up!"  
  
Mikey extended his hand and heaved his brother up. "You're heavy", he said when Donnie was on his own two feet. "You need to lose some weight".  
  
"Do not", Donnie answered.  
  
"Do too".  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do too!" Donnie smiled.  
  
"Do not!" Mikey answered.  
  
"Ha!" Donnie lifted his Bo off the ground and grinned at his brother. "Gotcha!"  
  
Mikey growled playfully and walked over to the sofa. He sat in between Raph and Leo and folded his arms. "Leo, you fight him for a while".  
  
Leo smiled and pulled his katannas out of his back belt. He walked over to Donnie and placed his feet firmly apart, his weapons held in front of him.  
  
Donnie smiled and positioned himself. "Ready for ya, bro!"  
  
//  
  
"Ok, how about we drop all this stuff off then go and see the guys?" April clutched onto her shopping bags tightly.  
  
"Sure", Tailor nodded, she was about to turn around when she heard someone call April's name.  
  
It was Chief Sternum. His tubby body came over to where April and Tailor were standing outside the café. He gave them a smile that made Tailor feel uncomfortable. She looked behind his big, beer belly and saw Scott smiling at her, his hands in his jean pockets.  
  
"Doing Christmas shopping April?" Chief Sternum asked, cruelly.  
  
"Not that it's any of your business", April replied, "but yes, I am. I'm spending some quality time with my niece, you know, the one your son petrified". April put her free hand protectively around Tailor's shoulder.  
  
Chief Sternum's smile faded and so did Scott's. Like father, like son, Tailor thought, a small smile playing across her lips.  
  
"My son says he did nothing of the sort", Sternum said, defending him, "and if he SAYS that, it's only in a father's duty to believe him, don't you think, Miss O'Neill?" He walked away with a smile, leaving Scott to smile evilly at them and follow his dad.  
  
April and Tailor turned around to walk back to the apartment, their faces set angry.  
  
"Next time he does that I swear! . . ." April began, ". . . That I'm gonna punch him . . . I'll punch him so hard that when his face connects with the pavement he won't know what hit him!"  
  
//  
  
(Ok, sorry this took a while . . . But I'm still saying THANK YOU! For all your reviews! Thanks danceingfae and Daydream (did I spell your name's right?) Sorry if I didn't - THANKS anyway!! xxx love ya!) 


	12. Letters and Tears?

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 12: Letters and . . . Tears?  
  
Tailor and April entered the apartment and dumped down their shopping. They quickly freshened themselves up and got ready to go and see the guys.  
  
"Oh, I forgot Tailor", April said when they were about to leave, "a letter came from your father, here", she handed her niece the brown envelope.  
  
"Thanks April, I'll read it later", Tailor put the letter in her pocket and zipped her jacket up tighter, "let's go".  
  
//  
  
When they arrived at the turtle's lair their faces were still red with anger at what Chief Sternum had said, Donnie and Mikey noticed this and they all asked them what was wrong.  
  
"Chief Sternum", April mumbled.  
  
"Scott", Tailor said, hands in her jacket pocket, so the guys couldn't see her clench her fist. She was mad at herself for getting so angry with him so she put her head down.  
  
"Hey, don't worry", Donnie got up and put a hand around Tailor's shoulder, he saw the hurt in her face and gave her a smile, "they're all a bunch of jerks".  
  
Tailor looked across at April. She was being entertained by Mikey and it seemed to cheer her up. She turned her gaze back to Donnie and gave him a small, but noticeable, smile.  
  
"Where's Raph and Leo . . .", Tailor glanced around the room, ". . . And Splinter?"  
  
Donnie led her over to the sofa and sat down next to her. "Well, Leo and Splinter are meditating - they said they'd be out in half an hour - and I think Raph's in the kitchen".  
  
"Can I go say 'hi' to him?"  
  
Donnie shrugged and smiled. "Wouldn't hurt him".  
  
Tailor smiled and got up and patted his knee. "Ok, thanks, be right back".  
  
"I'm timing you!" Donnie called after her.  
  
//  
  
"Hey Raph!" Tailor smiled at him. Raph was sitting at the table, lost in thought she guessed, because he jumped when she greeted him.  
  
"You made me jump!"  
  
Tailor shrugged. "Sorry, I'll know better next time. I would have thought you'd be in bed!"  
  
"I wasn't tired", Raph said, staring at the table.  
  
"Me either", Tailor grabbed a chair and sat opposite him, "So, what's up? Oh, and, thanks for listening to me this morning, I appreciated it".  
  
"No problem. What's that?" He nodded to the brown piece of paper sticking out of her pocket.  
  
"Hmm?" Tailor glanced at her pocket and took out the brown envelope. "Oh, it's a letter from my dad".  
  
"What about?"  
  
"Dunno, haven't read it", Tailor ripped open the top of the envelope and instantly pulled something out; she smiled at the item in her hand and held it up to Raph.  
  
Raph took the piece of paper off her. A handsome man stood smiling back at him. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a white, sleeveless t-shirt. He was leaning on, what looked like, a dresser. He had brown - gold hair and nice, tanned skin. He brown eyes showed happiness. His dimples showed and Raph guessed that's where Tailor inherited hers. He handed the picture back to her and nodded. "You look like him".  
  
Tailor put the picture on the table and sighed. "Yeah, everyone says that, but not his eyes. My eyes I got from my mum".  
  
"And your blonde hair?" Raph asked.  
  
Tailor smiled. "Only the best"  
  
Raph gave a small smile and watched her pull out another piece of folded up paper. She opened it and Raph was surprised she read it out loud.  
  
"Dear Tailor,  
  
How are you? I'm thinking of you and I hope you're having a great Christmas, Tai. It's great here and don't worry! . . . The adoptive elephant is fine. I know you're thinking about stopping at April's for a while longer and it's totally up to you . . .  
  
Raph rested his cheek in his hand and she carried on.  
  
. . . But remember I still miss you. Tell that boy Elliot to take good care of you and that he's welcome to India at anytime . . .  
  
Raph watched a smile play across Tailor's lips. Guess her dad likes that Elliot, he thought.  
  
. . . You know that if you ever want to contact me you can ring me. I just thought a letter would be more appropriate. I'm very proud of you Tailor. You've grown up into a beautiful and responsible girl. Your mother would be proud. Merry Christmas.  
  
All my love,  
  
Papa xxx"  
  
Raph looked up at Tailor and was surprised that her eyes were watery and her face looked red.  
  
"You ok?" He asked.  
  
Tailor put the picture in front of her and rested her cheeks in her hands. "Fine", she said, but her voice came out in a whisper. She gazed at the picture of her dad and smiled. It was a small, but emotional, smile.  
  
"Sure?"  
  
She nodded at Raph. "My mum was beautiful", she said, wanting to talk to someone, "she had long, blonde hair, not as long as mine, but she was still beautiful, she was like a queen, my dad treated her with so much love".  
  
Raph nodded. "So what's wrong?"  
  
Tailor sighed. "He misses her. He won't show it but he misses her. He hasn't got anyone else to love him, except April and me. I just hope it doesn't end like that".  
  
"So what do you want?"  
  
Tailor looked at him and beyond. It seemed to Raph that she looked right through him. Knew what he was thinking and what he felt.  
  
"I want my dad to find happiness. I want to be happy. I am happy, but not enough. The only people that made me feel happy are my Dad. Elliot. You. Your brothers. Splinter. April . . . And my friends".  
  
"Sorry".  
  
"For what?" Tailor asked.  
  
Raph noticed that her eyes didn't seem to go through him anymore. They seem to look at him instead of his mind.  
  
"That you're not 100% happy", he answered.  
  
Tailor smiled. "I'm 99% happy" she joked.  
  
"But it's not enough, is it?" Raph surprised himself for saying that.  
  
Tailor looked at him and thoughts went through her head. What was that supposed to mean? Did he see through her? Did he prefer to see her 100% happy? She shook her head and gave him a smile.  
  
"It's enough", she grabbed the picture and letter off the table and put it back in her pocket. She got up and chucked the envelope in the bin. "Shall we go back in there?" She made a gesture with her hand, pointing to the main area.  
  
Raph nodded. "Sure". He followed her into the living room and got an echo of 'hi's' from April and his brothers. But also loads of questions from Mikey.  
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
"Did he hurt you, Tailor?"  
  
"Shall I hit him for you?"  
  
"Want me to call the police?"  
  
"The pizza police?"  
  
"Did he torture you?"  
  
"He's annoying, don't you think?"  
  
Raph had to wind him to shut him up. But he only punched his brother lightly in the stomach.  
  
Donnie was trying not to laugh and kept his mind shut. Mikey sat next to him, clutching his stomach, making it impossible not to laugh.  
  
Tailor smiled and sat down on the other side of Donnie. April was sitting in Splinter's chair and Raph sat on the arm of it.  
  
April smiled and leaned over to Raph. "She was slightly upset wasn't she? After she read that letter?"  
  
"Yeah", Raph answered, confused, "how did you know that?"  
  
"I know my niece, she always turns to trust worthy people when she's upset, and she has your trust by now", April stopped whispering to them and turn to Tailor, Donnie and Mikey, who were taking it in turns with thumb-war.  
  
"One, two, three, four,  
  
I declare a thumb-war".  
  
Donnie and Tailor linked hands and Donnie pinned her thumb down.  
  
He gave her a successful, but cute smile.  
  
"One, two, three, four,  
  
I won the thumb-war".  
  
"Cheat", Tailor mumbled and sat back.  
  
Raph looked at her and sighed. He watched Mikey and Donnie have a thumb-war but kept a few glances on Tailor. Why did he say she wasn't happy enough? It wasn't anything to do with him. Raph knew that April saw how much he and Tailor had in common and he also knew that Splinter saw it as well. Maybe Leo did. But he wasn't so sure about Donnie and Mikey.  
  
//  
  
(Ok, finished. Thanks again for ALL the reviews! Sorry if there's any mistakes! Love ya all! xXx! Next chapter is the party . . . some action gonna happen . . . * innocent face * . . . did I say that out loud? Oh well, enjoy, more to come! Personal thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed my story! - Thanks Daydream - merry Christmas to you too! And everyone else - have a great one!) 


	13. Party!

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 13: Party!!  
  
Tailor brushed back her long hair and smiled. She had put her sparkly black, trousers on and had her new, white, sleeveless top. It wasn't to tight and was nice and loose, so she wouldn't get too hot when dancing.  
  
She put her clean, black boots on and it made her slightly taller. Her boots were only about 4 cm high and were just right for her. Being a size 5 she had no trouble finding shoes - especially trainers - she thought with a smile.  
  
She decided to plait her long hair so it wouldn't get in the way. It took her 10 minutes to plait it and she tied it with a sparkly, black bobble. She grabbed a black jacket from her closet and zipped it on. With a look at her watch she walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs.  
  
//  
  
"Whoa, niiiiiice"  
  
Tailor smiled at Mikey who was sitting on the sofa. Since the snow had melted Mikey had walked round with a Christmas pudding for April. Without freezing his feet.  
  
"Thanks Mikey". Tailor sat next to him. It was 6:30 and the party didn't start till 7:00. April made her a cup of tea and sat on one of the stools near the counter, a few metres opposite Mikey and Tailor.  
  
"So who ya dancing with?" Mikey asked, grinning at Tailor.  
  
Tailor shrugged and gulped down her tea. "Dunno, probably Garth".  
  
"Garth? Who's Garth?" April asked, joining in the conversation.  
  
Tailor smiled. "Elliot's best mate. He sent me a text asking for a first dance, so I said 'yes', but he won't get there till 8:00, he's doing something before so I'm dancing solo before that".  
  
"Aww, surely there's other boys?"  
  
Tailor lifted her hands in a shrug at her aunt. "Maybe, but I don't even know who Emma has invited".  
  
//  
  
She fount out when she got there. Emma's house was crowded. It was as if Emma had invited teenagers from the whole neighbourhood.  
  
"Tailor! Tailor!"  
  
Tailor made her way through the crowd to her mate. Emma was a pretty girl. The same size as Tailor: She had, short, layered brown hair but it was in a clip on top of her head. She was wearing a pair of sparkly, blue jeans and a red, alter-neck top. Her face was completed with a few pieces of hair flowing over her face and rosy-red cheeks and dimples that showed, but not as much as Tailor's.  
  
"You look great", Tailor said, giving her old school friend a hug.  
  
"Same to you", Emma said back, "only, one thing . . ." Emma pulled out Tailor's fringe that was hidden behind her ear and put it in front of her face. "Perfect", she said, smiling.  
  
Tailor giggled. "Thanks".  
  
"Come on", Emma said, grabbing her hand. "My mum wants to see you". She lead Tailor pass the stairs and into the kitchen. Emma's mum was putting food on the big dinning table. Emma's mum looked exactly like Emma, but an older version, and her hair was longer. She smiled at Emma when she came in and had a small, shocked expression when she saw Tailor.  
  
"Tailor! So nice to see you!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Emma's mum gave Tailor a hug and let her go.  
  
"Are you crying?" Tailor asked her, when she went back to the table.  
  
"Onions dear, onions", Emma's mum smiled.  
  
Tailor smiled and nodded. "I never knew there would be so many guests".  
  
"Well, dear, it's under plenty of supervision so I didn't mind". Emma's mum carried on chopping some onions.  
  
"You're a cool mum", Tailor said, grinning politely.  
  
"Thank you, dear".  
  
Emma rolled her eyes slightly and grabbed Tailor's arms. "Come on".  
  
//  
  
Tailor spent half an hour saying 'hi' to everyone and telling him or her about what was going on in India. Half of her old friends never knew her mum had died and keep echoing 'sorry's' at her.  
  
"It's ok", Tailor had repeated over and over again, with a slight bit of sadness but covered it up with a smile.  
  
Tailor grabbed a drink off the table in the living room. Emma's house was huge. Just a bit bigger than Tailor's in India. The living room was decorated red and gold and had a black sofa near the window. The floor carpet was red, but you could hardly see it because of all the teenagers' feet.  
  
Tailor drained her drink and put it on the table. She saw Emma talking to people in the crowd and smiled. Emma was popular, but she always envied Tailor, no matter how much Tailor told her she was a beautiful girl.  
  
Tailor started walking up to her friend but someone tapped her shoulder. Tailor turned round and smiled. "Liam!"  
  
Liam was Emma's 13-year-old brother. He was cute and had a kiddie face. He had brown curtains that flowed over each side of his forehead and he reached Tailor's height because he was incredibly tall. He had dimples like Emma's and anyone could tell they were related, but Emma would hate it if you told her.  
  
Liam smiled and bowed. "Hey Tailor . . . Dance?"  
  
Tailor smiled and rolled her eyes. Also he had a huge crush on her. Tailor fount that sweet. Emma fount that gross. "Sure", she answered.  
  
Slow music flowed around the room and everyone paired up. Emma went with her boyfriend, James. He was a head taller than Emma. He was cute, but he wasn't Tailor's type. She did like him though, with his dark, black hair and blue eyes.  
  
He smiled at Tailor and gave her a thumbs-up when he saw her with Liam. Tailor stuck his tongue out at him and Liam led her to the middle of the room.  
  
Liam bowed again and put his hands on Tailor's shoulders. Tailor smiled. "You can dance with me properly you know, Liam, I may not like you but I don't HATE you", she giggled.  
  
Liam smiled shyly and put her hands and her waist. Tailor rested her hands on his shoulders (receiving a disgusted look from Emma) and danced with him to 'Titanic'. She smiled at Liam and rested her chin on his shoulder; thankful he was the same size as her.  
  
Someone tapped Tailor's shoulder and she frowned. She turned round and gasped. Scott was standing there with his hands behind his back. Liam loosened his grip from around Tailor and frowned at him as well.  
  
"Hey little dude, you can't handle someone as cute as her, may I cut in?" Scott gave Tailor a smile and a cruel look at Liam.  
  
"No", Tailor said firmly, before Liam could even reply.  
  
Scott shrugged and put a hand on Tailor's shoulder. "Next time", he whispered and walked away into the crowd.  
  
Tailor shivered and looked at Liam. He was giving her a confused look.  
  
"I hate him Liam, that's all".  
  
Liam gave her a cute smile. "Ok, want me to punch him?"  
  
Tailor smiled, feeling a little bit better. "No it's ok, but one question: Did Emma invite him?"  
  
Liam shook his head. "No, Emma invited Tom, you know Tom? Well, she said Tom could invite a friend and Tom invited Scott. Emma didn't want to be rude so she let him stay and told him not to make any trouble".  
  
Tailor nodded.  
  
Liam smiled. "Don't worry, Emma will make sure he doesn't bother you. She knows you totally hate him".  
  
The song ended and Liam let go of her. "I have to help mum in the kitchen, you'll be ok, right?"  
  
Tailor nodded and cuddled him. "Yeah, I'll be fine, save me a dance for later?"  
  
Liam nodded. "Sure", he answered, and then disappeared into the hallway.  
  
Tailor looked at her watch. 7:55. Oh well, she thought. She walked over to the small table of food Emma's mum had put out for those that were hungry straight away.  
  
Tailor grabbed a ham sandwich and munched on it. She leaned against the table and looked around. Emma was dancing with James. She could see Liam taking out dirty plates. Some teenagers were standing and talking. Scott was nowhere to be seen. That worried her. She finished her sandwich in one gulp and grabbed another.  
  
"You're so lucky, a skinny girl like you eating so much and not putting on any weight".  
  
Tailor spun round. "And how would you know how much I eat?"  
  
Garth smiled at her and looked her up and down. "I can just tell", he said with a smile. "You look great".  
  
"Thanks, you don't".  
  
Garth was a cute, tall boy. He was a head taller then Tailor and had brown, wavy hair that flowed round his head in spikes (probably because he gelled it nicely). He was wearing a pair of blue jeans (from what she could see) and a red shirt. He had his hands in his pockets and was smiling at her with dark, green eyes.  
  
"I'm hurt", he said, but she could tell he was still grinning.  
  
Tailor smiled. "You look fine".  
  
"Dance?"  
  
Tailor finished off her sandwich and joined him on the dance floor. 'You Can't Hurry Love' was playing and Garth spun her around.  
  
"Where's Elliot?" He asked spinning her out.  
  
"Away", she replied, coming back into him.  
  
"Where?" He asked, spinning her out again.  
  
"Family outing", she answered.  
  
'You Can't Hurry Love' finished and another slow song came on. It was 'Unchained Melody'. Garth smiled, glad that Tailor didn't use all her energy and put his hands around her waist. He liked Tailor a lot, but she had TOO much energy. She was more of Elliot's type because Elliot had loads of energy as well. But Garth and Tailor were close friends from a couple of years back.  
  
"What are you smiling at?" She asked, noticing him smile.  
  
"Nothing", Garth said, shaking his head.  
  
Tailor smiled and rested her head on his chest. It was amazing to have friends like Emma and Garth. Also Elliot and the guys. Why did people like Scott enter the world?  
  
'Unchained Melody' finished and she and Garth danced to plenty more songs. The night flowed by and before Tailor realised it, it was 9:25. Dancing all night with Garth went fast. Although she did have one more dance with Liam at 9:00. Also she had a dance with Emma's dad, Tailor remembered with a smile. That brought a few smiles from everyone as well.  
  
"I have to get going", Garth said, when everyone was going home.  
  
"Sure, I'm going to say 'bye' to Emma, see ya Garth. Thanks for dancing with me". Tailor gave him a hug.  
  
"It was a pleasure, I don't think I'll see you after this, so come back soon, ok?" He smiled.  
  
"Sure", Tailor nodded.  
  
"Oh and . . ." He grabbed some mistletoe and lifted it over his and Tailor's head. He smiled sweetly at her. "Please?"  
  
Tailor smiled. "Ok", she kissed him softly on the lips and gave him another hug. "I'll miss you Garth, make sure you text me, ok?"  
  
Garth nodded. "Thanks, see ya!"  
  
Tailor watched him leave and looked out of the living room window. He walked down the street and round the corner. Tailor sighed, she couldn't believe she was going back and leaving all of this.  
  
Someone grabbed her shoulder and turned her round. "I'm hurt that you didn't save a dance for me and flirted with that Gareth all night!"  
  
Tailor stared evilly at Scott. "It's Garth! Get away from me!"  
  
Tailor walked over to the to the living room table and grabbed a drink of lemonade. She gulped it quickly and put the cup down. Scott smiled and walked over to her, hands in his pockets.  
  
"You may not like me now, but you will. All you need is a little persuasion". His eyes darted to the empty cup she put down and the empty bottle of lemonade she finished off.  
  
"Get lost!" Tailor's eyes burned into his. She wasn't going to let him scare her anymore.  
  
"Fine, but you'll see, trust me, you'll see . . ." He trailed off. Tailor watched him walk out of the living room and heard the front door slam. She was shaking; she realised, and walked out of the living room herself.  
  
Emma was waving people off at the front door. She saw Tailor and smiled brightly at her.  
  
"Enjoy yourself?" She asked.  
  
"Totally", Tailor said, smiling.  
  
"Did Scott bother you?"  
  
Tailor didn't like lying to her friend, but she didn't want to worry her. "No, didn't see him all night, but I better go". She grabbed her jacket off the coat rack near the door and put it on. "Thanks for inviting me Emma", Tailor said with a small smile, "I'll text ya tomorrow".  
  
Emma smiled and hugged her friend. "Ok, see ya". Emma waved her off and closed the front door.  
  
Tailor wrapped her jacket tightly around herself and started to walk the blocks back to April's apartment. Feeling light-headed she put a hand to her forehead. Nope, no temperature.  
  
Tailor carried on walking and after what seemed like forever, April's apartment came into view. Tailor squinted her eyes, was it her, or was April's apartment moving?  
  
She shook her head and regretted it. For some reason Tailor's legs felt wobbly. Weird. She cried out in pain when her foot slipped on the kerb and she tripped over. Tailor sat down on the pavement and clutched her foot. What the hell was wrong with her?  
  
Tailor felt her eyes close . . . No . . . Keep them open, she told herself. Her head felt dizzy and her right foot cried out in pain. Tailor felt her eyes close more . . . She shook her head . . . Don't . . . April's apartment is only about 10 metres away. Tailor tried to get up but her foot let her down. She leaned her head in her knees and closed her eyes. What's going on? This wasn't like her. She felt darkness surround her and she heard something . . .  
  
The last thing Tailor remembered was the sound of footsteps and someone lifting her up, telling her to stay awake . . .  
  
//  
  
(Ok, finished, I wanted you to read something before Christmas! Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for all the reviews! More to come! Have a great Christmas though! Love ya xx). 


	14. Christmas! Huh?

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 14: Christmas!! (Huh?)  
  
Tailor woke up to the sound of someone moving on her left side. She turned her head trying to focus her eyes on the person who stood next to her. It wasn't a human, which could mean one thing.  
  
"M - Mikey?" Tailor's mouth felt dry and her voice came out in a whisper.  
  
"No . . . It's me . . ."  
  
"Raph?" Tailor focused her eyes on the turtle sitting beside her. She looked around herself and saw the fussy outline of a bed. "W - where . . ."  
  
"You're at April's", Raph answered before she could finish off her sentence. "In your own bed"  
  
Slowly, her vision started to come back. Tailor attempted to lift herself up into a sitting position.  
  
"Hey, take it easy", Raph helped her into a sitting position and sat down on the end of the bed.  
  
"H - how long have I been out?"  
  
Raph sighed and looked at the bed duvet cover. "6 days".  
  
"6 days!! What!! That would make it -."  
  
"Christmas, I know", Raph looked at her with sad eyes. "I'm sorry, there was nothing we could do to wake you up earlier, you was totally out of it".  
  
"Of course I was out of it! Scott drugged my drink!"  
  
"How did you know that?"  
  
Tailor sighed. "Pretty obvious, I drank no alcohol or anything and I thought Scott looked weird when I drank that lemonade, what else could it have been?"  
  
Raph knew that was a rhetorical question so he didn't answer.  
  
Tailor looked at him. "Some Christmas this is. I missed it. Well . . . where's April?"  
  
Raph nodded to the floor. "Downstairs".  
  
"I better go and see her". Tailor quickly got up and put her weight on her feet. A wave of pain ran through her right side and she cried out in pain. She slumped back on the bed and looked at her foot. It was perfectly bandaged up. "Who taped me up?"  
  
"Donnie", Raph replied, "at first he thought you had broken it because of the swelling, but you've badly sprained it, it should be ok, but according to Donnie you shouldn't put any weight on it yet".  
  
Tailor rolled her eyes. "Great", she said sarcastically. "You want me to go downstairs in a wheelchair?"  
  
"Very funny", Raph said, "I better carry you, unless you want me to push you down the stairs?"  
  
"I'll pass on that option . . . wait . . ." Tailor looked at her old pair of blue jeans and white, baggy t-shirt she was wearing. She looked at Raph. ". . . Who . . . Where is . . . Who did . . .?"  
  
Raph smiled and shook his head. "April".  
  
Tailor gave him a small smile and nodded. "Glad April changed my clothes, those trousers were itchy . . . think I'm allergic . . . but . . . how did I get here?"  
  
"I brought you here . . . I was going to April's and I fount you outside . . . I thought you were dead . . . But . . . I'll tell ya more later . . . come on, as you WILL waste your Christmas".  
  
"I think I've wasted it", Tailor said with sadness in her voice.  
  
"I don't think so . . . It's only 7:00 in the morning". Raph got up and walked over to her, he lifted her up and walked out of the already opened door.  
  
//  
  
"Tailor!" April rushed over to where Raph had laid Tailor on the sofa. All the other guys were sitting on April's living room floor with shocked faces when Tailor came in. April grabbed her niece tightly and kissed her cheek. "I thought I had lost you . . . Are you ok? . . . Does your leg still hurt? . . . Want me to get you some tablets? . . . Are you -."  
  
"April!" Tailor smiled. "I'm fine . . . Just glad to be awake for Christmas".  
  
April smiled and nodded. She walked over to the kitchen and clicked on the kettle for Tailor's cup of tea.  
  
"Yo Tailor!" Mikey walked over to Tailor and lifted his hand. She slapped him a high-five and smiled.  
  
Donnie, Leo and Splinter each took it in turns to give Tailor their hugs and relief that she was awake.  
  
"April?" Tailor asked when everyone was sat down on the floor. "Have you got my mobile? I think I might have had a few messages and Elliot would be back by now".  
  
April smiled and grabbed the 3310 off the counter. She handed it to Tailor and went back in the kitchen section when the kettle clicked.  
  
Tailor looked at her phone and sighed. 3 new messages. She opened the first one and smiled. It was from Emma. The guys watched her as she read them.  
  
'Hey, glad you could make it to my party! I'll miss you when you go back, which is, New Year or something? Oh well, text me back when you find out. Luv Emma xx'.  
  
Tailor opened the next one.  
  
'Hey Tailor! Had a great time at the party! Text me when you're going back, ok? Luv Garth x'.  
  
And finally the last one.  
  
'Hey! I'm back! Sorry I came back later but I couldn't help it. Our holiday was extended. Forgive me? Please! Anyway, text me when you get this message. (I know you're probably not up yet). Luv Elliot xxx'.  
  
Tailor frowned, confused and looked at the date the message was sent. 25th December. Weird. Elliot must have stayed till today, which was a relief. Then she didn't have to think up excuses for being out for 6 days. She quickly sent him a message saying she was up and that he could come round later on.  
  
She got a text back saying 'sure, about 6:00, bye'. Tailor asked April if that was ok and she said yes. Tailor sent a text back to Elliot saying she'd see him later and turned her phone off. She swapped her phone with April for a cup of tea.  
  
"I'll get you something to eat", April said, going back into the kitchen.  
  
Tailor smiled. She had forgotten how hungry she was. And why wouldn't she be? She hadn't had anything to eat or drink for 6 days!  
  
"You ok, my child?" Splinter asked her when they were all settled down with tea and sandwiches.  
  
"Fine", Tailor nodded and tucked into her sandwich, surprised at herself that she didn't eat it in one gulp. "I'm kind of glad I was knocked out till Christmas . . . saved me waiting".  
  
Splinter smiled and nodded. Just like Mikey . . . putting a positive side to things. "Let's hope, that you will be fully recovered soon".  
  
"Yeah!" Mikey chipped in. "And speaking of which . . ." He grabbed his game console that he had brought round with him. ". . . want to finish where we left off on Sonic?"  
  
Tailor laughed. "Sure Mikey".  
  
//  
  
Later on Tailor and Mikey were in head-to-head with the game. Tailor was still lying on the sofa, her feet on Raph and Donnie's laps, who were sitting at the end of the soda. Leo was sitting on a stool. Splinter in April's armchair. And Mikey and April on the floor.  
  
They spent an hour playing on the game until Mikey won and then they decided to give presents.  
  
Since the guys didn't have money, April gave them presents. They echoed thank you's at her and she smiled. Mikey was the first to dig into his present.  
  
"Aww cool! 'Sonic The Hedgehog 2'! Thanks April!" He hugged April tightly and planted a kiss on her cheek. Tailor smiled and watched Donnie open his. He nearly fainted.  
  
"You . . . I . . . This must have been . . . Wow". That's all he managed to get out. April smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Don't worry Donnie, I didn't burn a hole in my bank account".  
  
Donnie looked at the small, new computer April had given him. He was totally shocked. A computer! How did April afford this? All he could do was hug her and thank her loads.  
  
Leo opened his next. It was a book based on Japanese language and also April had given him a special cleaning kit for his sword. Leo smiled and hugged April, saying his thanks.  
  
Raph opened his present and smiled to himself. April had given him two, brand new sais and told him it was in case his others had disappeared, since he got into quite a few fights. This brought a laugh from Tailor and also smiles from his family. But what Raph was smiling at was the book she gave him . . . On anger therapy.  
  
"Very funny", Raph said, rolling his eyes and holding the book up.  
  
Tailor looked at it and laugh. Mikey also laughed and Leo and Donnie tried not to. It received a chuckle from Splinter and an innocent look from April.  
  
"I thought it might give you a few pointers", April said, smiling.  
  
Tailor smiled and shook her head. "Wouldn't a punching bag have been more appropriate?"  
  
April just shook her head and grabbed another present from under the Christmas tree. She handed it to Tailor and smiled.  
  
"From you're father, it arrived in the post".  
  
Tailor nodded and unwrapped the silver wrapping paper of the small box. She opened what she could tell was a jewellery box and smiled. Inside was a doll chain. A gold doll that was moveable and it dangled from a long, gold chain. It was diamonds in the jacket of it. Tailor showed it from the others and Mikey let out a long whistle.  
  
"Cooooool", he said.  
  
Tailor smiled and took it out of its box. She wrapped the chain round her neck and smiled. It looked great.  
  
"Brilliant", April said, nodding. She handed Tailor a present off herself. It was a tiny box. She sat back down on the floor.  
  
"Thanks April", Tailor grinned at her. "I'm afraid I can't give you yours until I've wrapped it", she shrugged at her.  
  
"That's ok".  
  
Tailor opened the present and looked at the small box. She lifted it open and smiled. Inside was a pair of gold earrings. They dangled in three straight, yellow diamonds.  
  
"Thanks April! I would cuddle you but I can't get up".  
  
April smiled and walked over to her niece. She gave Tailor a hug and sat back down. Everyone watched Tailor take out her normal studs and put in her new earrings.  
  
"So", April said when she had finished. "Who's up for dinner?"  
  
"ME!!" Came everyone's reply.  
  
//  
  
(Sorry this one's short but don't worry more to come! (It would have been weird if I had Christmas day on the 2nd of January or something). Thanks for all the reviews and MERRY CHRISTMAS all! Enjoy it! Oh and Tailor's present . . . It was what mum got me : ) . . . but without the chain . . . hope you all got great pressies! Love ya all! xxx). 


	15. Reunited

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 15: Reunited  
  
Tailor spent the rest of the day wrapping up presents. Since Elliot didn't know that she was knocked out for 6 days she could just make up that she sprained her ankle badly on the pavement. Which was true. But she wouldn't tell him the WHOLE story. April had gone to work and the guys had all gone home. They had all promised they would come back later in the week and April had promised that she would be back by 8:00 that night.  
  
It was now 5:30, and Elliot would be here soon. She taped up the last of his presents and hopped down the stairs on her left foot. She put the presents down near the sofa and sat down. Tailor noted how she was breathing heavily, but she had hopped up and down the stairs about five times. It also took all of her effort to have a shower without trying to get her right foot wet. She succeeded, but it left her breathless. Now, sitting in her black jeans and a red, baggy t-shirt saying 'Christmas' on the front, Tailor grabbed the T.V remote and clicked on the T.V.  
  
Click. 'Muppet's Christmas Coral' - seen it. Click. 'Santa ClausE' - seen it. Click. 'Grinch' - seen it. Click. 'Santa Claus: The movie' - seen it. Click. 'Titanic'?! On Christmas Day?! Tailor shrugged. Click - seen it anyway.  
  
After 30 minutes off clicking the remote Tailor sighed. Nearly every film showing on T.V she had already seen it. She sighed and turned off the T.V, reading would be a better option.  
  
The buzzer went and Tailor got up. She hopped over to the buzzer and pressed it. She heard the door open and footsteps on the set of stairs. They came closer, and ended with a tap at the door.  
  
Tailor opened the door and smiled. "Elliot!"  
  
Elliot was wearing blue jeans and his dark, blue baggy jumper. He was holding presents but still managed to hug his friend. "Hey . . . wait . . .", he looked at her right foot and frowned, ". . . what happened?"  
  
"Tripped on the pavement coming back from Emma's party", Tailor replied. She hated keeping the truth from Elliot, but she couldn't say she met four mutant turtles and one mutant rat and they saved her life . . . again.  
  
Elliot nodded and helped Tailor over to the sofa. He sat down next to her and put his gifts on the floor. "You'll be ok, right?"  
  
"Yeah . . . Totally".  
  
Elliot smiled. "Ok, here you go . . . Pressies". He handed her a bag with three presents in.  
  
Tailor smiled and lifted hers off the floor. "From me to you", she said. She had brought him three presents as well. She gave them to him and both friends opened their presents.  
  
Tailor's first one was a bottle of adidas woman perfume. She thanked Elliot and opened her second one. A set of lavender candles complete with a holder. Her last one off Elliot was a silver frame and a picture of him in it wearing his jeans and a blue shirt, his hands in his pockets. On it was written 'to remember me by'.  
  
Elliot opened his presents and smiled. Tailor had got him a DVD. 'Austin Powers in: Goldmember'. The second one was a small, gold bracelet chain. The last one was a picture of her in a small, 5 by 5 cm silver frame.  
  
The two friends smiled at each other, amazed how they both got each other the same last present. Well, not exactly the same, but the same idea. Tailor thanked him and hugged him tightly.  
  
Luckily, April had a DVD player, and in 10 minutes Tailor and Elliot were sitting down next to each other with sandwiches on their laps. Elliot put his arm around Tailor's shoulder and they both sat back to enjoy the movie.  
  
"Jesus", Tailor said in awe when the two twins came on, "they're skinner then I am!"  
  
Elliot smiled and shook his head. "Yeah . . ." he said sarcastically, ". . . and prettier".  
  
"That's cold", she answered back, wincing slightly.  
  
"Your ankle hurting?" Elliot asked concerned.  
  
"No", she replied, and then smiled, "I'm sat on my hair". She lifted herself up - giving Elliot her plate - and pulled her hair out from underneath her. She grabbed her plate back and they both sat back.  
  
"Why bother with having your hair so long?" Elliot asked.  
  
Tailor shrugged. "Thought I'd try a new style".  
  
Elliot smiled and took a bite out of his sandwich.  
  
They spent the rest of the evening watching 'Austin Powers' then it finished and Tailor put 'Snow Dogs' in, which Emma had brought round for her when she was out like a light.  
  
"Never seen this", Elliot said. He was standing near the sink, his hands soaked in bubbles. He told Tailor he'd do the pots and she would take care of the video. Elliot dried his hands and started drying the plates. In five minutes everything was washed, dried, and put away. He sat back down in the corner of the sofa and stretched his legs out. Tailor sat against him and pressed play on the video recorder.  
  
Half an hour later April came home. She greeted Elliot warmly and brewed up a cup of tea. She told Tailor she had to go back out and that Elliot could stay. He smiled and agreed to it. April sat on the stool near the counter and faced the T.V. She had already watched this with Tailor but it was on the part where the main character 'Ted' is dreaming and the dogs were talking.  
  
'Hey Ted!' Demon, the main dog, shouted with enthusiasm, 'You really stuff in it this time!'  
  
The others laughed loudly and 'Nana' the female dog there, stuck up for him, 'I like him!'  
  
'Oh suuure . . .', said another dog, ' . . . you'd roll over for anyone who'd give you a bowl of slump!'  
  
April watched Nana stick her nose up at him and she chuckled. "My favourite bit", she mumbled to Elliot and Tailor. She gulped down the rest of her drink and headed back out, saying she'd be back for nine.  
  
"Where do you think she's going?" Elliot asked when April had closed the door behind her.  
  
"Dunno", Tailor replied with a yawn, "probably got another report to do".  
  
"Your aunt's cool", Elliot said, smiling.  
  
Tailor was about to reply but the doorbell ringing stopped her. "I'll get it", she said to Elliot. She lifted herself up, using Elliot's shoulder for support, and hopped over to the door.  
  
When she opened it she wasn't bothered that Scott was there. She was fed-up of this. She sighed. "Whadda ya want?" she said, tiredly.  
  
Scott stood there, grinning. His hands in his blue, adidas bottoms and his adidas jumper, probably bribed his dad to get him them, Tailor thought. He leaned against the doorframe, which annoyed Tailor. She bit her lip to keep her anger inside her.  
  
Scott held a little glass cup in front of him and handed it to Tailor.  
  
Elliot had come up behind her but she stuck her arm out, signalling for him not to start a fight, now he just stood there, a protective hand on Tailor's shoulder and a hard stare at Scott. Her foot was hidden behind her, but Scott didn't see it.  
  
"And this is for . . .?" she asked, twirling the cup in her hand.  
  
"Sugar", he replied simply.  
  
"Sugar . . .?" Tailor repeated, a confused Elliot behind her, ". . . I think you've had TOO much sugar . . . you've gone nuts!"  
  
"Nooo", he said slowly, hand on the doorframe and a suspicious grin on his face that Tailor couldn't make out, "Me and my dad need some sugar because we're all out and we're moving in the apartment above you".  
  
//  
  
"Eat your heart out Tails!" Mikey shouted excitedly as he played on his new 'Sonic The Hedgehog 2' game. He had already got past the green zone in two seconds flat, how he completed the others so quickly was a mystery to his brothers.  
  
Donnie had set up his new computer, using his old one for back up by putting it behind the new one. He was now programming the old data from the old computer into the new one, his finger clicking like mad as they zoomed over the keys on his new keyboard.  
  
Leo had cleaned his katanna's and had had a practicing session with Raph. He was now sat on the sofa (opposite Splinter who sat comfortably in his armchair) and reading his book on Japanese, his legs resting on the remains of the sofa.  
  
Raph stayed in his room, examining his new sais April had got him. He kept the anger therapy book on the table near his bed and smiled every time he looked at it. April really knew how to have a laugh. He also kept thinking about Tailor. He knew she was ok but to see her left on the kerb, so less energetic, made him feel concerned for her.  
  
He hadn't meant to find her. But if he didn't see her, then, what would have happened? It was only because he had to send a message from Splinter to April because the phone lines were dead again that he found her. When he turned the corner of the fourth block he saw her. Even in the dark he could see the faint outline of her blonde hair and instantly knew it was her. He took her to April and she looked awful in normal light. She was so pale so looked dead. Her breathing was slow and stopped for seconds before starting again. April insisted taking her to hospital but Splinter refused because Tailor would have reporters surrounding her when she came too, so they had to keep her in bed wrapped up in three duvets and pray. Donnie was still trying to figure out what was in the drink. Something illegal probably, Raph though angrily.  
  
He swung one of his sais and it let out a 'whoosh'. Maybe he did keep his emotions locked up, but it didn't mean that he was a cruel person. Now Scott, well, that was what you called a cruel person. What the hell had Tailor done to him? She was the kind of girl that made friends with anyone, no matter what they looked like . . . and Scott had stuffed it back in her face.  
  
//  
  
"W - what did you say?" Tailor stared shocked at Scott but he just stood there, a pleasant grin on his face. Elliot gave her shoulder a squeeze, but since he was so silent Tailor knew he was just as shocked as she was.  
  
Elliot wasn't exactly shocked. Just stunned. Stunned that the fact that this creep would be right above Tailor and April. The fact that he would do anything to hurt her. The fact that his so-called 'daddio' would stick up for him if he did anything wrong. The fact that . . . oh, who cares, thought Elliot . . . it was just the fact that he was saying this!  
  
"You heard me", Scott said, his eyes boring into Tailors. Elliot tightened his grip on Tailor's shoulder and pulled her into him a bit more. Scott looked at Elliot with pure hatred and jealousy. "I'm moving in. Two days time. With my dad", he slowed his voice down and hissed; "Right . . . Above . . . YOU".  
  
//  
  
(Ended this one here. Sorry it's short; I've caught a bit of a bug. But more to come! Thanks for all the reviews! I hoped you had a Merry Christmas! Thanking you all individually! Love ya all people! xxx). 


	16. A Higher Grip On Friendship

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 16: The Secret's Out  
  
Elliot's grip tightened on her shoulder even more, but he made sure that he didn't hurt her. Tailor seemed to have been lost for words. Every time she opened her mouth nothing came out. Elliot stared at her friend; she was looking at Scott with wide, but angry, eyes. Elliot stared back at Scott wanting to wipe that smirk grin off his face. Scott gave Elliot a satisfied smile and looked back at Tailor.  
  
"Isn't it magical? Me, you, together", Scott folded his arms.  
  
Tailor opened her mouth, but still, nothing escaped. She closed her mouth and stared angrily at Scott, but thankful to Elliot for staying by her and not starting a fight.  
  
"I can come and see you whenever I want", Scott continued. "It's going to be cool, don't you think Tailor?"  
  
"No!" She snapped, finding her voice. "You don't understand!" She found her voice rising higher, but she didn't give a damn if she woke up the neighbours. "I - hate - YOU! You - I - hate! Hate - I - you! Which parts don't you understand?!!"  
  
Scott's eyes had widened but his body stayed in the same position. "We can tell who's gone nuts here", he said, casually.  
  
Tailor glared at him with pure hatred. "I have NEVER, ever liked you! I wouldn't give you a gram of sugar if you paid me! How much torture do I have to go through to make you get it in your thick - stupid - dumb - dense - unintelligent - slow - brainless - dull - dim-witted - not-getting-this - skull!!"  
  
Scott looked taken back but Elliot looked at her friend in amazement. He had never, ever seen Tailor say so much in the same sentence. But one question nagged at him; how much torture did she go through?  
  
Scott got over his shocked expression and smiled at her. "You know that every gram of sugar I put in my tea I'll be thinking of you".  
  
"I'll tell you where you can put your every gram of sugar ", Tailor mumbled under her breath. Elliot heard her and smiled a little on the inside.  
  
"Why don't you just go?" Elliot said, coolly.  
  
"Why don't you just stay outta this?" Scott snapped at him. "You stupid - pathetic - none-girlfriend - dope!!"  
  
That did it. "You twit!! How dare you!!" She punched him. Smack in his left eye. No one - and she meant no one - could ever call her best friend in front of her like that, especially Scott.  
  
Elliot stood there, mouth opened wide. He could still hear 'Snow Dogs' playing away in the background because everything seemed silent for a moment.  
  
Scott stumbled back and bashed into the wall opposite the door. Tailor probably gave him a shiner but you couldn't see his eye because Scott had it covered with his hand. He looked at her angrily out of his one, good eye. "You'll pay for that!"  
  
"I think I've paid enough!! You've already given me a sprained ankle!! Don't you ever - and I mean EVER - come near me again! I don't give a damn if you run to your daddy or not!" She pointed at him angrily. "You just stay away from me", she hissed and slammed the door on him, locking it with the chain.  
  
Elliot was still shocked but he shook his head and walked over to the sofa with Tailor. She sat down and put a hand to her forehead, her eyes closed shut. Elliot sat in the armchair opposite her and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs and cupping his hands together.  
  
"Scott gave you a sprained ankle?" He asked, gently.  
  
Oops. Tailor opened her eyes and lifted herself up. She put her foot in front of her and sat back on the sofa, looking at Elliot. Her lip wobbled and she bit it softly.  
  
"It's not my fault", she said quietly. "When I went to Emma's party I did slip as I was walking back. But before I went I said goodbye to Garth and Scott came up to me. I was slightly nervous so I gulped some lemonade. When I was walking back I felt dizzy and slipped on the pavement. I collapsed outside of April's apartment and her friend found me", Tailor stopped, there was no way she could tell Elliot about Raph.  
  
"Is there anymore?" Elliot asked, sensing there was more to it.  
  
Tailor's eyes began to water. "I didn't wanna worry you . . . Yes, there is . . . I was out for 6 - yes, SIX - days".  
  
Elliot stared at her. SIX days?!  
  
"When I received your message", Tailor continued. "I didn't see any point in worrying you because you had put that you had just come back, when I had just woken up, so I thought I'd leave it".  
  
Elliot closed his open mouth.  
  
Tailor looked at him with sad eyes. "I'm sorry . . . But I think it's as obvious to you as it is to me that Scott did something to my drink . . . I didn't mean for this to happen . . . I didn't want to be knocked out for six days . . . I didn't mean for me not to tell you . . . I'm sorry, Elliot".  
  
She watched him looked at her with his cute eyes. She couldn't tell what he was thinking and it was making her feel uncomfortable. "Come on Elliot, say something", she didn't like the way he was so quiet.  
  
Elliot kept his eyes on her face. Tailor had never lied to him. Never. He knew she had good reason for lying to him and he knew that if she told him straight away he would have murdered Scott. He wasn't angry with her. She's his best friend. He loved her to bits. He knew by the sad look on her face that she was still scared of Scott. She may have punched him and shouted her guts off at him but she was still scared. Those five minutes of courage wouldn't last long.  
  
His face broke into a small, forgiving smile. "Come 'ere", he said to her softly, patting his knee.  
  
Tailor's face brightened and she hopped over to him. Sitting herself gently on his knee, her foot in front of her, she held his hands. "I'm sorry", she repeated.  
  
"It's ok", Elliot said gently, rubbing his thumbs over her hands affectionately. He didn't need her apology; he just needed her, herself. "I know it wasn't your fault, want me to kill Scott? I know my dad keeps a spanner in his shed".  
  
Tailor smiled but she knew Elliot couldn't see it since she had her back to him. "No thanks, I think that punch I gave him will keep him away for a few days".  
  
"A few days?" Elliot asked.  
  
"Ok, ok, one day. Scott never gives up".  
  
//  
  
When April returned home Tailor was asleep on the sofa, her foot propped up on a cushion and a jacket spread out over her. Elliot was in the armchair, a cup of tea in his hands and his face on the T.V screen where 'Snow Dogs' was just finishing. He turned to her when the door closed and smiled.  
  
"Exhausted", he said. "She fell asleep in an instant".  
  
April nodded and took off her jacket. She hung it up and walked over to the kitchen. She clicked on the kettle and filled a cup with a tea bag, sugar and milk. She perched herself on a stool and faced Elliot. "She isn't the only one exhausted", April said with a smile.  
  
Elliot got up and walked over to her, sitting on a stool and resting his tea on the counter. He glanced at Tailor before turning back to April. "Did you know Scott Sternum was moving in above you?"  
  
April nodded sadly. "That's where I went", she said. "I didn't want to worry Tailor so I had to go to Chief Sternum's office to confirm a few things about that boy".  
  
Elliot nodded. "He came here".  
  
"He did?"  
  
The kettle clicked and April filled her cup with hot water. She let the tea bag soaked into it before squeezing it out and chucking it away.  
  
Elliot nodded a second time when she sat back down. "He asked for some sugar and then told Tailor he was moving in the apartment above you. Then Tailor just clicked and shouted at him - never seen her do that - then he said something to me and she punched him", Elliot smiled a little, he was glad she had punched him.  
  
"My niece punched Chief Sternum's son?" April said, slowly.  
  
"Yeah", Elliot said, taking a sip of his tea.  
  
"Tailor punched Scott?"  
  
"Yup".  
  
"Good on her", April smiled proudly. "Not every aunt would let their niece get away with that but that boy deserved a good beating . . . so . . . what did he call you? Please tell me he didn't mouth off?"  
  
"No", Elliot answered. "He called me a stupid - pathetic - none-girlfriend - dope".  
  
April patted Elliot's hand before drinking some of her tea. "Well, you know you don't fit any of that".  
  
Elliot let out a small smile. "Except for the none-girlfriend part"  
  
April smiled at him and glanced at Tailor. "She doesn't have a boyfriend. So what. I bet Scott don't have a girlfriend. He just thinks he can get anyone he wants. Just like his dad", she added the last bit angrily.  
  
Elliot drained his tea and rinsed his cup off in the pot water. He quickly grabbed the towel off the side and gave the cup a dry before replacing it back in the cupboard and folding the towel back neatly.  
  
"Thanks", April said.  
  
Elliot nodded in reply. "I better go".  
  
He grabbed his jacket that was draped over Tailor and put it on. He grabbed his shoes, put them on and tied the laces. He lifted himself up and smiled at April. "Tell Tailor I said she is very lazy", he said jokingly.  
  
April chuckled and nodded. "Sure".  
  
Elliot walked over to Tailor and his lips brushed against her cheek. "Bye", he whispered to her though he knew she couldn't hear him. He walked over to the door and, saying a 'goodbye' and 'thank you' to April, he walked out of the apartment closing the door shut behind him.  
  
April smiled when he went. Such a nice person, she thought, one that Tailor needed right now. She sighed and gulped down her tea. After rinsing her cup off she went upstairs to get Tailor a blanket. No point in waking her now. She had been through a long day.  
  
//  
  
"Yo April!" Mikey said the next morning when they all came to see her. He gave her a hug and a peck on the cheek before looking at a sleeping Tailor on the sofa. "Aww, how cute! But . . . hasn't she got a bed?"  
  
April smiled and grabbed all five of the guy's coats. She hung them up and sat on a stool opposite Raph. "She has got a bed Mikey", April answered watching Leo, Donnie and Mikey settling on the floor and Splinter sitting in the armchair.  
  
Mikey smiled. "Well . . . why not sleep in it?"  
  
April chuckled and shook her head. "Elliot came last night and he said she was exhausted and fell asleep. I didn't see the point in waking her up so I covered her with a blanket". April sighed a little. "No point in waking her up when she has to worry about Scott moving in right above us!"  
  
The penny dropped. Everyone looked at April, all with shocked expressions on their faces.  
  
"Sorry . . . that came from nowhere", April gave them all a small smile.  
  
"The mean dude is moving above you?" Mikey questioned, shocked. "Oh - my - God"  
  
"Poor Tailor", Donnie said sadly, shaking his head.  
  
"Yeah", Leo agreed, nodding.  
  
Raph remained silent as well as Splinter. He was the most shocked out of all of them. Already Scott had made her life hell and now he was moving in above April to rub it in her face? But she wouldn't be here long, Raph realised, she would be going back in India soon, but what about April? She still had to put up with him and his dad. Raph didn't say anything; he just glanced at Tailor slightly sad and looked at Splinter.  
  
Splinter gave his son a small smile. From what he had heard from Raph, this Scott was really bad. He could get out of anything because his dad was in the police force. Splinter sighed, poor Tailor, but she would leave soon. He had noticed the sadness in Raph's eyes when he realised that she would be going back. But April would still have to face them everyday. Splinter glanced at his sons and wondered; how would they feel when Tailor left?  
  
"How about we wake her up now?" Mikey's words came into Splinter's mind. His son in orange was glancing at Tailor, a small smile on his face.  
  
"Let her wake up in her own time Michelangelo", Splinter said softly. He looked at Tailor and smiled. "She has much on her mind, who are we to interrupt that?"  
  
//  
  
(Ending this one here. Thanks for the reviews everyone! Thanks a lot! : ). Hope ya like this one. More to come! Have a great new year!! Love ya!) 


	17. A Beautiful New Year Dinner

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 17: A Beautiful New Year Dinner  
  
"Hello, I'm Tailor and I'll be your waitress, what would you like?" Tailor smiled at Mikey who was sat at the table. His brothers and Master sat around the remains of it along with April.  
  
Tailor had offered to cook them a perfect New Year's dinner. It was now New Year's Eve at 5:00. Tailor stood beside Mikey with a little notebook in her hand. Mikey looked at the small menu in front of him and smiled.  
  
Tailor waited and tapped her pencil against her leg. Since it was a family gathering like dinner she had put on a pair off black trousers and a nice, red three quarter length top. April was wearing a pair of brown trousers and a cream top, her new gold chain that Tailor had got her for Christmas hung around her neck.  
  
Tailor had spent the days giving her presents out to her friends. She had got Garth a small gold bracelet, similar to Elliot's and she had got Emma a whole beauty box, make-up set. Tailor didn't wear make-up and Emma knew that, that's why she brought her a video.  
  
Garth had given her a lovely hair set. A curling heat brush and everything. Hair tattoos and beautiful glittery bobbles hung from a box when the lid was opened. She had put in a red glittery one to match her top, and her hair flowed down her back in beautiful curls, her bobble was tied around a section of her hair so that it was half up half down and her now curly fringe flowed down the left side of her face.  
  
"How does the lamb come?" Mikey smiled, he already knew what Tailor was making them, but he wanted to lighten the mood.  
  
"Well . . ." Tailor began smiling. "First you get a cute little animal that goes 'baa' then bam!" She banged the table slightly with the side of her hand. "You cut off its head!"  
  
Mikey laughed along with the others.  
  
"Nah, not really", she said innocently.  
  
"Yeah right", Mikey said, grinning.  
  
"Hey", she said, putting her hands up. "I heard it off an episode, sue me. Oh well, it brought a few laughs". She smiled and walked over to the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready soon".  
  
"Don't we get an option?" Donnie asked, pointing to the menus she laid out for them.  
  
"Nah", Tailor said. "That was so you had something to do while I started making dinner".  
  
"We're having turkey!" Donnie said. "That takes up to eight hours to cook! Not five minutes while we're looking at the menu".  
  
"Ok, ok, I confess", she smiled at Donnie sweetly. "I started cooking at 9:00 this morning".  
  
"Bit early to get up and cook, don't you think?" Splinter asked her, smiling softly.  
  
"Sue me again", Tailor said. "I'm an early bird".  
  
//  
  
Tailor enjoyed cooking. Her mum was a great cook so she had some of the talent too. She had given the guys a large turkey, with all the side dressings and vegetables in bowls in the middle of the table. Of course Mikey was the one to have third helpings.  
  
After dinner the whole gang played games. 'Scrabble' was the first followed by a couple of games of 'Connect 4' and 'Twister'. Tailor mostly won 'Twister' because she spent most of her time in the gym, but she got away with playing by sticking her foot out the side of the mat.  
  
"That's not fair!" Mikey had complained.  
  
"Mikey, you're just a sore loser", Raph said, smiling at his brother. "She even won you by using three limbs".  
  
"But it's still not fair! She's been winning most of 'Twister' because she's skinnier and also because she goes to the gym 24 / 7"  
  
"I do not go to the gym 24 / 7!" Tailor had argued and smiled. "I only go 4 days a week, that's if I don't cancel".  
  
"Still not fair", Mikey said cutely, folding his arms.  
  
Now they were all sitting at April's table, drinking tea. It was now 8:00 and all off them were wiped. Mostly because of the games. Tailor was sharing jokes out of the crackers and Mikey was putting a Santa hat on her head.  
  
"Aww, you look cute", he said.  
  
Tailor rolled her eyes.  
  
They spent an hour telling stories. How Mikey, Raph, Leo and Donnie defeated Shredder. How they had fun helping Keno in the all the shopping stores. Donnie playing with the clown, Mikey playing with the yo-yo, Leo up in the air holding onto his katannas and Raph putting Keno in the local dustbin.  
  
April told Tailor about meeting Casey, describing what he looked like and that he went away for a while after. "He said he'd be back after New Year", April told her.  
  
"Aww", Tailor said sadly. "I'll be back in India then".  
  
A pang of sadness went round the whole table.  
  
The sound of the doorbell made them all jump. Tailor lifted herself up and limped over to the door. Now that her foot was healing better she could put some of her weight on it.  
  
She opened the door. A young man stood in the doorway smiling at her. Tailor frowned slightly; keeping the door closed a little so he wouldn't see the guys. He's handsome though, Tailor thought. He was wearing a pair of baggy, black trousers and a white baggy jumper. "Er, sorry", she said politely, pushing her Santa hat back behind her head. "I don't listen to Christmas carols".  
  
The handsome guy smiled, and leaned on his hockey stick. Now where does that description fit, Tailor thought.  
  
"You must be Tailor", he said, his long, brown hair flowing in front of his face.  
  
"Yes, I must be", she answered. "You must be . . .?  
  
"Casey", he said, holding out his hand. "Casey Jones".  
  
Tailor smiled and shook his hand. "Oh, sorry! Didn't know. I guess you know about the . . . Er . . . guys?"  
  
Casey smiled and nodded. "They're my good buddies".  
  
Tailor nodded and opened the door wider. She gestured with her hand for him to come in. Casey came in and looked around the room. His eyes rested on the guys sitting around the table, talking.  
  
"Yo dudes! Long time no see!"  
  
Everyone perked up and stared at Casey. He smiled and held out his hands. "What? Something I said?"  
  
Tailor stood behind Casey, balancing herself and smiling.  
  
"Hi Casey!" April got up and hugged him; he kissed her lips and the room echoed with 'Ooo's'.  
  
Tailor sat in April's place at the table next to Raph. She smiled at the guys and they all rolled their eyes. "We've seen this in a number of movies", Mikey said.  
  
Tailor smiled. "I think it's sweet".  
  
When Casey and April broke apart they both sat on the sofa. Casey kept an arm around April and reminded Tailor of Elliot. Always kind. Tailor looked at the guys. They were all asking Casey the same thing. "Where ya been dude?"  
  
"Just around", Casey replied. "I came back early to surprise you".  
  
"Well you did", April said.  
  
Casey smiled and shrugged. He looked at Tailor. "So this must be your niece, huh April?"  
  
"Yup", April replied. "Tailor".  
  
"I think we've been introduced", Tailor said.  
  
"Got your attitude, April", Casey pointed out.  
  
"She does not!" April said.  
  
"I do not!" Tailor said at the same time.  
  
The guys giggled. April looked at them. "She does not, right guys?"  
  
They all looked at each other then back to April. "Yes", they all replied.  
  
Tailor looked at them and rolled her eyes. Mikey gave her an innocent shrug. Donnie shyly shrugged at her. Leo smiled sweetly. Splinter chuckled to himself and Raph gave her a small smile. Was it her, or was there a glint of sadness in Raphael's eyes?  
  
"So Casey", Tailor said politely, turning from the others. "Tell us a bit about yourself . . . April's given us the gossip so far but I know there's more . . . I do know April fancies you rotten so we'll leave that bit out", Tailor smiled at him.  
  
"Does she now?" Casey said raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Yup, she said your . . . Cute. Funny. Kind. Good gentleman. Sweet. Loving. Awesome fighter. Always there. Strong . . . and she said you're a hunk", Tailor smiled innocently, she was counting these off with her fingers. She glanced at the other guys and they shot her some smiles.  
  
Casey opened his mouth, slightly shocked and April looked at her with a surprised expression.  
  
Tailor shrugged at Casey. "I ran outta fingers", she said sweetly.  
  
Casey closed his mouth and smiled, he nodded at Tailor and turned to April. "Aww, is that what you really think of me? Didn't know you cared so much".  
  
April blushed as red as Tailor sweater. "Er . . . I . . ."  
  
Casey's smiled widened and he kissed April's cheek. "I think its sweet", he said, glancing at Tailor. "Thanks April. That's why I love ya!"  
  
"Eww, yuck, mushy", Raph whispered to Tailor in disgust.  
  
Tailor smiled at him and patted his hand. "You won't be saying 'yuck' if it ever happens to you".  
  
"You think I'd kiss a girl's cheek? Who are you? Cupid?"  
  
Tailor could tell he was smiling a little and shook her head. "Nooo . . . I don't believe in Cupid, my time will come", she grabbed a spare cracker that lay on the table and held one end, the other pointing to Raph. "Pull?"  
  
Raph smiled. "To warn you: I always get the bit with the toy in".  
  
Tailor smiled back. "That's 'cos ya got muscles", she said softly glancing at his arms. "We'll see".  
  
Raph grabbed the other end and pulled. A loud 'bang' echoed throughout the room and everyone looked at Raph and Tailor. Tailor and Raph were on the floor, beside each other, rubbing their heads. Tailor was also rubbing her foot.  
  
"What happened?" April said, rushing up to see if they were hurt. Casey held her back, smiling and shaking his head.  
  
Raph and Tailor smiled at each other. "Cracker", they both said.  
  
"We have seen this countless of times with Raph and Mikey", Donnie said, smiling. "Never knew a girl could tie with him when pulling a cracker".  
  
Raph got up and helped Tailor up after him. They both sat back down, smiling at each other. Tailor glanced at the toy that dropped to the floor and picked it up. She looked at it and smiled.  
  
"All that . . ." she said, handing it to Raph. ". . . For a dinky jigsaw puzzle!"  
  
Raph opened the bag and 20 small pieces fell out. "Wanna see what it is?" he asked Tailor.  
  
"Sure".  
  
The others watched as the two friends argued jokingly over where each piece should go.  
  
"How can that go in the middle?" Raph asked her when she held up a piece. "It has a straight edge".  
  
Tailor smiled and shrugged. "Sue me again people!"  
  
After a few moments of arguing Raph and Tailor had managed to see what it was. They both titled their heads, looking at the small square that lay on the table.  
  
"What is it?" Casey asked, not being able to see it from the couch.  
  
"It looks like a cartoon version of Tailor", Mikey said leaning over to Raph's side to look.  
  
"Does not!" Tailor objected.  
  
"Lemme see", Casey got up and peered over Leo's head. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and smiled. "You're right, it does look like a cartoon version of Tailor".  
  
"Hey! You're all evil! It's a cartoon Monkey!"  
  
Casey grinned. "Duh", he said obviously. "It's a spitting image!"  
  
"Hey! Just because you're cute doesn't mean I don't take that talk!" She kicked him in his shin with her good foot.  
  
"Ouch!" Casey sat back down next to April and rubbed his leg.  
  
April laughed and shook her head. Tailor would never humiliate herself by calling Casey cute. That was the thing about her. She never, ever got embarrassed. Casey still kept rubbing his leg through his trousers.  
  
"Oh come on!" April said. "It couldn't have hurt that much!"  
  
Casey looked at her. "She kicks hard!"  
  
Splinter chuckled. "At least she can stick up for herself", he said while looking at Tailor and giving her a warm smile.  
  
"Thank you Splinter", Tailor nodded.  
  
"Hey April!" Mikey piped up. "Could I put a Christmas CD in? I'm bored of this silent stuff".  
  
"Sure Mikey", April said.  
  
Mikey lifted himself up and placed himself in front of April's CD player. He scanned the cabinet April kept in the corner of her room with the CD's in. After a few moments Mikey found the Christmas CD he was looking for and slid it in the CD player, which lay on top of the cabinet.  
  
'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' echoed the room and Casey jumped off the sofa with April and they both danced to the music.  
  
Mikey and Donnie started dancing their own beat (which happened to be the same making them look as though they had planned this one out) and Splinter, Leo, Raph and Tailor remained at the table.  
  
After several songs of dancing and laughing, Mikey changed it to a slow Christmas one. 'White Christmas'. Casey slowed himself down and placed his hands on April's waist and Donnie sat down.  
  
Mikey smiled and shrugged and started rotating around the room, his arms out as if dancing with someone, in seconds he had everyone laughing.  
  
"M - Mikey", Tailor said, shaking her head. "You can't PRETEND you're dancing with someone".  
  
"Be my partner then", he replied, smiling.  
  
"I don't wanna put too much pressure on my foot", Tailor said apologetically. "Sorry".  
  
Donnie leaned forward and whispered to her. "Can you balance all you're weight on it?"  
  
"Yeah", Tailor nodded.  
  
"Well, then, dancing with Mikey won't hurt", Donnie said smiling. "As long as he goes SLOW!" He added the last bit with a glance at Mikey.  
  
Mikey shrugged. "Sure". He extended his hand to Tailor and heaved her up.  
  
Tailor, surprised to find she could put her foot firmly down without wincing in pain, found she could dance easily with Mikey.  
  
Mikey smiled at her and nodded in approval. "You recover quickly", he said sweetly.  
  
"I've had encouragement", Tailor said, thinking of Elliot and Mikey's brothers. Lots of encouragement, she thought with a pang of sadness. She would be leaving soon, in just a couple of days.  
  
"You alright?" Mikey asked her, seeing her face frown a little.  
  
"Fine", she whispered.  
  
The danced for the rest of the night, some slow, some fast. Tailor shared dances with Donnie, Mikey, Leo, Splinter and even one with Raph. She danced once with Casey.  
  
"My turn now April", she said with a wicked grin.  
  
"I want him back in 2 minutes!" April said, jokingly.  
  
Casey grinned widely. "Well, well, two girls fighting over me, and not just any girls, relatives".  
  
"Shut up!" They both said.  
  
When it reached 10:30, Splinter suggested that they went home. They all gave hugs and shared a few brief moments saying goodbye. Mikey was holding mistletoe over everyone's head that were standing next to April or Tailor.  
  
"Mikey!" April shouted, arms folded.  
  
"Ok, ok", Mikey gave April and Tailor both hugs and said 'bye' to Casey. Everyone else did the same and before they knew it, the apartment was quiet.  
  
"Well . . . I better go too", Casey announced.  
  
"Why don't you stay?" April suggested kindly. "Tailor goes home in a couple of days and it'd be fun if you could stay".  
  
"It would be an honour", Casey said happily.  
  
"Eww, this is getting too mushy for me . . . I'm off to bed!" Tailor hopped halfway up the stairs before turning back and giving a stare at Casey. "Keep in mind: NEVER go in my room!" The corners of her mouth lifted to show she was joking.  
  
"Yes sir!" Casey said in an officer voice.  
  
Tailor grinned and nodded. She said 'good night' and walked up the stairs, leaving Casey and April alone.  
  
"She's cool", Casey said.  
  
"Yeah", April sighed. "Despite what happened, I think I've never had a better Christmas".  
  
//  
  
(Thanks for the reviews everyone! Enjoy chapter 17! More to come . . . and Tailor's departure coming up, I'm afraid . . . * sad face * . . . I'm so emotional, * sniff *, ok . . . enough of that . . . enjoy! . . . Love ya all!). 


	18. Closer At The Minute

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 18: Closer At The Minute  
  
April went downstairs for her normal cup of morning tea and clicked on the kettle. She filled her cup up with the normal ingredients and sat down on a stool, waiting for the kettle to 'click'. Casey had slept in the spare bedroom in between April's and Tailor's. He had woken up and April told him that he could have a shower in the main bathroom.  
  
Casey and Tailor had got along last night. April was amazed at the bond that had grown between them in the hours they had together. It was as if Casey was a big brother. It was too bad Tailor was leaving soon. April sighed, her niece was great, it was a shame to see her go.  
  
"Ahhhh!!" Casey's scream echoed from the bathroom up the stairs to around the whole apartment.  
  
"Man dude! Put some clothes on!" Tailor's voice sounded out. April opened her eyes wide, the kettle made a 'click' but she ignored it. Did Tailor just say; 'put some clothes on'?  
  
Seconds later, Tailor came hopping down the stairs in a pair of red shorts and t-shirt that she wore as pyjamas, her foot was still wrapped up perfectly. She had an innocent smile on her face when she looked at April. She walked over and grabbed the kettle, pouring hot water into April's mug and handing it to her.  
  
Casey came down next, his hair wet and sticking to his neck. He had his trousers, without his jumper, and water dripped from his shoulders and onto his chest. He looked out of breath.  
  
April looked from Tailor's smiling face back to Casey's shocked one. She looked back at Tailor, her eyes narrowed.  
  
"What did you do?" April said slowly to her niece.  
  
Tailor burst into a fit of giggles and smiled innocently. "I - I walked in on him when he was in the shower", she was laughing fully now and walked over to the sofa, collapsing on it.  
  
Casey sat on a stool opposite April and rolled his eyes at Tailor. "Not my fault you don't have a lock on the bathroom door", he said, his face slightly red.  
  
"D - don't need one when t-there's a b-body like yours in it!" Tailor answered back, laughing.  
  
Casey glared angrily at her. "At your age you shouldn't be looking!"  
  
Tailor sat up and smiled. "Well . . . You would look if you just walked in the bathroom and there's a naked man in there!"  
  
"Wait . . . What's wrong with your bathroom?" April asked her.  
  
"I was looking for you", Tailor said innocently. "Normally you're in there in the morning but you turned into a man".  
  
//  
  
The guys came round later. All of them were asking Tailor why she was so happy and why Casey was all red in the face.  
  
"Where's Splinter?" April asked, noticing someone was missing.  
  
"He insisted he stay at home", Leo answered. "The weather is getting to him a little and he said it would be better if he stayed home wrapped up so none of us could catch it".  
  
"I think Casey's already caught it", Tailor said grinning. "He's all red in the face".  
  
"Why?" Mikey asked.  
  
Tailor glanced at all four of them. "I kind of walked in on him when he was in the shower . . . Total accident!" she added lifting her arms. She sat down on the sofa next to Raph and smiled at him.  
  
Leo sat in April's armchair and Mikey and Donnie happily perched themselves on the floor.  
  
Before any of them could make conversation the phone rang. April walked over to near the counter where it was and picked it up. She said a few words into it before handing the cordless phone to Tailor, saying it was her dad.  
  
"Dad?" Tailor said into it.  
  
Raph sat next to her and watched her. She had a pang of sadness in her voice when she grabbed the phone. Raph knew that her dad had probably rang to discuss when she would be coming home, this made a wave of emotion go through Raph, but he hid it. He sat back and listened to her side of the conversation, along with the others.  
  
"Hi! . . . No, I'm fine, seriously . . . yeah my ankle's fine . . . I know I worried you when I rang to tell you but it's perfectly ok. I can put some weight on it now . . . I don't know when it'll be better . . .", she glanced at Donnie and he gave her a shrug, ". . . Maybe . . . Ok, Dad . . . yeah, I know . . . I miss you too . . . Kay . . . love you . . . bye", she made a kissing noise in the phone and ended the call.  
  
"So, how is he?" April asked breaking the silence.  
  
"He's fine", Tailor answered, giving the phone back to April. "He said that he'll come over tomorrow and then we'll go home the next day, is that ok?"  
  
April frowned slightly. She was leaving so soon? "It's fine", she said trying to keep her voice straight. "I don't mind your dad staying, I'd love to see him".  
  
Silence surrounded the room. Mikey gave a small smile to Tailor and mouthed 'I'll miss you'. Tailor gave him a sad smile back and mouthed 'me too'. Leo, who was sitting near her, patted her knee. Tailor smiled and squeezed his hand. Donnie smiled shyly at her and had a look of innocence on his face. Tailor mouthed 'hi' sadly at him.  
  
Raph sat next to her and looked at her. Tailor could see sadness in his eyes and gave him a small smile. She reached over and grabbed his hand, giving it an affectionate pat and squeeze before letting go.  
  
Raph gave her a little smile. He couldn't believe she was leaving. She was like family now. She got along well with his brother and Splinter. Also she got along with Raph. They didn't share all their stories but she had told him stuff she hadn't even told April. A trust had grown between them.  
  
"Can I have that phone back please, April?" Tailor asked, pointing to the phone April was holding.  
  
"Sure", April said giving the phone back to Tailor. When Tailor took it off her April sat back, a sad look covering her face. Casey, taking note of this, grabbed her hand.  
  
April smiled back at him before looking at Tailor.  
  
"I just gotta ring Elliot", she punched in Elliot's number and held the phone to her ear, removing her hair that got in the way. It let off a few rings before Elliot answered it.  
  
"Hello?" Came his soft voice down the phone.  
  
"Hey Elliot", Tailor said, keeping her voice as normal as possible.  
  
There was silence on the other side. Tailor gave a smile to the others, waiting for Elliot's voice to come back.  
  
"You're leaving, aren't you?"  
  
Tailor smiled a little, you couldn't get anything past Elliot.  
  
"Yeah . . . sorry . . . I didn't even know it'd be so soon".  
  
"When?" Elliot asked, his voice low.  
  
"Two days", Tailor replied sadly.  
  
"I can come and see you, right?"  
  
"Yeah! Course you can! I'll meet you somewhere ok?"  
  
"Sure", Elliot said. "How about the French café inside the mall? Tomorrow?"  
  
"La Fromage?" Tailor said, naming it. "Sure, see you there, about . . . 9:00, ok?" She knew Elliot always got up early.  
  
"Ok".  
  
"See ya Elliot".  
  
"Bye".  
  
There was a click at the other end and Tailor hung up. It wasn't fair . . . why did she have to leave? She had got use to this lifestyle. She couldn't leave Elliot; their friendship had reached a much stronger level. She couldn't leave April. Or Splinter, or Mikey, or Donnie, or Leo and especially, Raphael.  
  
//  
  
Elliot put the phone back on his bedside table and sighed. He knew it'd come when Tailor had to leave, but he never knew that it would come so quickly. He and Tailor were better friends then ever. Ever since Scott had gotten worse towards her, Elliot had got closer towards her. Tailor knew Elliot cared her for, but Elliot knew that she would never know what level it had reached.  
  
A small tear escaped his eye and he brushed it away. Tomorrow would probably be the last time he would see Tailor till about May or something, till then, they would be keeping in touch over text, but he preferred to have Tailor here, where he could protect her like he always did.  
  
//  
  
"We're home!" Mikey announced walking back into the lair.  
  
Splinter looked up from his armchair and frowned. Even though Mikey had made that announcement with enthusiasm, all his sons had sad expressions on their faces. Even Mikey, which didn't rarely happen and especially Raphael.  
  
Splinter didn't need telling what was wrong. He knew his sons. They all slumped down on the sofa opposite him.  
  
"I guess Tailor is departing soon?" Splinter asked them.  
  
They all nodded and Mikey sniffed.  
  
"She was so young", Mikey said sadly.  
  
"Mikey . . . she's leaving . . . NOT dieing", Donnie pointed out.  
  
"I know", Mikey let out another sniff. "But I'll miss her, I mean, won't you? We got on so well with her, she was like April, a new member to the family or something. Even Raph got along with her!"  
  
Raph didn't bother to say ought to Mikey comment. Maybe that was because he was upset. Well if it was, he couldn't blame himself. He did get along with Tailor, and even he would miss her.  
  
"You're right Mikey . . . we will miss her", Leo said sadly.  
  
"You will see her again, my sons", Splinter said softly. He knew Tailor would come back, but he didn't know when. Splinter had to admit he would miss Tailor dearly. She had given them something, even Raphael. What it was though he could not tell.  
  
//  
  
Tailor came out of the corner shop and made her way back to April's. She had brought some popcorn and sweets so her, April and Casey could watch a movie. Since finding out about her departure, Tailor didn't feel like going to the cinema. She was going to spend the last two days with her friends and family.  
  
She crossed the road and opened the door to the apartment building. Glancing around herself, Tailor began to make her way up the stairs. After a few minutes she reached April's door.  
  
Tailor put her hand on the door handle but someone touched her shoulder. She whirled round and sighed, great, just what she need.  
  
"I thought I told you to stay away from me?" She hissed.  
  
Scott smiled at her and shoved his hands in his pockets. He was wearing blue jeans and a baggy, adidas t-shirt.  
  
Tailor's eyes looked him up and down. His face was clear. She had punched him so hard and his eye didn't show any colour of purples or blues or anything.  
  
Scott noticing her looking at him, spoke. "My make-up artist does wonders", he said, smiling at her.  
  
Tailor didn't say anything but frowned. He has a make-up artist? How sad, she thought, rolling her eyes. She held her bag that had her groceries in tighter and gave him her best smile.  
  
"Beautiful Scott. You're so handsome . . . too bad I'm leaving in two days . . . I would have loved to have gone out with you, but I have to pack . . . well . . . I guess this is bye . . . so, BYE!"  
  
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek then gave him a smile. Then, slowly, she opened the door to April's apartment and entered it, shutting the door on Scott's stunned face.  
  
"Yuck, I can't believe I just did that!" She said when she put her groceries down on the counter and rubbed her lips. It was enough hating Scott. But being nice to him and kissing him was the hardest thing she ever did because he was such a jerk.  
  
"Can't believe you did what?" April asked, emerging from the stairs.  
  
Tailor smiled and shook her head. "Nothing, ready for the movie?"  
  
//  
  
(Sorry this on is short. Hope you enjoy! More to come! Yes . . . I'm afraid Tailor is leaving soon . . . Thank you individually for all your reviews people! . . . Hope you had a great New Year! I did! : ) . . . Love ya all! tmnt_luver xx) 


	19. A New Arrival

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 19: A New Arrival  
  
Tailor was already showered and dressed and waiting for her dad's arrival. She had put on a pair of black jeans and a white, long sleeved top that had a red 'adidas' logo in the middle of it. She kept the sleeves rolled up like she normally did and had put some trainers on. Last night on the phone she had told her dad about meeting Elliot at 9:00 and her dad said he would come at 8:50 so he could see her before she went. It was now 8:45 and she was perched on a stool with April and Casey sitting on the sofa opposite her.  
  
"Stop looking so nervous, Tailor", April said softly.  
  
Casey nodded in agreement and kept his arm around April's shoulder. Why did he have to remind her of Elliot? That is just what Elliot always did to her.  
  
"I'm not nervous", Tailor answered. "It's just that . . . when I rang dad last night to tell him about meeting Elliot he said that he'd be bringing a young woman that he met just after I left India . . . you know that April".  
  
"She sounded perfectly nice when I spoke to her on the phone", April said with a nod. "Maybe you'll like her".  
  
"I hate her already", Tailor mumbled.  
  
Her dad had told her that he was bringing a woman named 'Lydia'. Even the name put her off. Lydia? It didn't sound as nice as her mum's.  
  
"You'll really like her", her dad had said in his soft voice.  
  
"Maybe", Tailor had replied.  
  
Now she sat there. Not nervous exactly but a bit shaky. She wasn't used to her dad bringing a new woman in their lives. He had dates in the past, but Tailor had always choose them for him, and she got along with them well, but they always moved or had to go away for work. Now he had picked one, but Tailor had seen movies where they were step-moms from hell. Well, Tailor didn't need a step-mom; she wanted her real mother back.  
  
She needed to tell Elliot about this. That's why she had her trainers on so she was ready to go see him. Then after she had vowed to visit the guys. Of course her dad didn't know about them. He'd be a bit freaked if he found out she went into the undergrounds of New York.  
  
Dead when the clock struck 8:50, the buzzer went. Tailor leaped off the stool and limped over to the door. Her foot was healing nicely now and she could walk on it without hardly any limping involved. She opened the door and smiled.  
  
"Hey Papa", she said sweetly.  
  
"Hey Tailor, sweetheart", said the strapping young man in the doorway. Tailor noticed that her dad looked more handsome then ever and he was tanned more. His eyes glowed at her and so did his brown / gold hair.  
  
"Come give me a hug", her dad said.  
  
Tailor let go of the door and wrapped her arms around her dad's neck. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She took in the smell of his body spray and smiled. He always had his own scent. Her mum's was adidas perfume, that's why Tailor wore it so much.  
  
"I miss you dad", she said, pressed into his shirt.  
  
"I miss you too, Tailor", her dad took in the smell of his daughter's long, beautiful hair, which was plaited back. Grape conditioner.  
  
"Hey Tony", April said warmly. She had come up behind Tailor and had put a hand on her niece's shoulder. April smiled at her brother, handsome as always, she thought proudly.  
  
"Hi April", Tony let go off his daughter and put his arms around his sister's neck. "You look great", he said into her curly hair. He let go of her and looked at her. She did look great. With her soft curls and black jeans complete with a beige long sleeve top. She also had a special glow in her eyes.  
  
Tony looked past her to Casey on the sofa.  
  
"S'up dude", Casey said politely, raising his hand.  
  
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, April?" Tony asked, knowing there was more to Casey than he thought.  
  
April smiled and glanced back at Casey. "Just a friend", she said with a small glint in her eye.  
  
"I bet", Tony said smiling.  
  
Tailor walked over and sat down next to Casey. "I think he's cute", she said innocently to her father.  
  
"Ah ha, bit old for you missy", her father said.  
  
Casey smiled and gave a stern look to Tailor. Tailor shrugged innocently and leaned over. "You're not my father", she whispered in Casey's ear.  
  
Tony and April were in a small conversation when Tailor got up and walked over to the door. She grabbed her black jacket off the coat rack and put it on. "I better go", she said. "I gotta meet Elliot". She gave April a peck on her cheek and headed out the door.  
  
"Wait sweetie", Tony said, holding his daughter back. "First, I want you to meet Lydia".  
  
Tailor nodded, keeping calm. "Sure".  
  
"Ok", her father smiled, revealing his dimples and waved his arm out of the door. Footsteps could be heard and Tailor held her breath.  
  
If she's like one of those women from 'Parent Trap', Tailor thought, with a perfectly styled hair and red, rosy lipstick and a posh voice and designer dresses, I'll hate her.  
  
The footsteps stopped and Tailor looked into the doorway getting her first sight of Lydia. If 'Parent Trap' was a bad case, then this was worse. Lydia had short, layered hair that looked as hard as a rock with hairspray and glowed a gold colour. She was wearing a black dress complete with high, black sandals. Her face was beautiful, no lying there, with dimples and bright brown eyes. Her lips were rosy red with lipstick and she had long eyelashes. Her long legs took a stride towards her and Tailor took a step back.  
  
Even Casey had his mouth open in shock. Even he wouldn't fall for her. She was the kind of woman that cared about one thing. Looks.  
  
April closed her open mouth and held out her hand. "Lovely to meet you, Lydia. Tony has told me so much about you".  
  
"Really", Lydia said in a high, posh accent and taking April's hand in hers. April took a small glance at her long, red painted nails. "He has told me nothing about you".  
  
Good, April thought.  
  
"And this must be Tailor!" Lydia let go of April's hand and bent down to Tailor level, which wasn't very far considering she was only a little bit taller, then her. "Wonderful to meet you"  
  
"Wish I could say the same", Tailor mumbled to herself. Her mum was beautiful by nature. She was beautiful by money and make-up.  
  
"You are a beautiful young girl!" Lydia said in a high voice.  
  
Tailor gave her best, put-on smile. Her dad raised his eyebrows at her because he knew when his daughter was going to be sarcastic or say something inappropriate.  
  
"You are a beautiful young lady!" Tailor said in a similar voice to Lydia's, nearly making Casey laugh.  
  
"Why thank you", Lydia said, flattered.  
  
Uh oh, Tony thought, my daughter's going in for the kill.  
  
Tailor's smile dropped. "I get my looks from my mother though", she added bitterly. "Not a beauty store". Tailor gave a satisfied nod to her dad and walked straight out of the apartment, closing the door behind her.  
  
I'm going to have a word with her; was Tony's last thought.  
  
//  
  
'La Fromage' was buzzing with its usual people. Kids from Elliot's school sat on high chairs that went around the room and chatted away furiously. Other kids that Elliot didn't know were sat on the tables in the middle of the room. Some boys and some girls. Elliot had sat himself near the bar. 'La Fromage' was mainly a place for 15 and 16 year olds to hang out. He and Tailor had discovered when they had just turned 15. It wasn't built that long ago, but with more kids going off to school they needed a place to hang around at weekends and in the holidays.  
  
Elliot looked around. It wasn't like Tailor to be late but he knew she probably had good reason. It was 9:10, so 10 minutes didn't matter to him. He wasn't doing anything afterwards. He wanted to spend some quality time with his best friend.  
  
"Yo Elliot, what would ya like?" asked Jamie behind the bar. They had made the place look quite grown-up to include a bar.  
  
"Nothing, Jamie, thanks".  
  
"Aww, c'mon", Jamie said, running a hand through his black hair. "On da house! You look bummed".  
  
"Just a coke please", Elliot said.  
  
"So what's wrong?" Jamie asked him while taking the cap off a bottle off coke. "You're never normally bummed".  
  
"Tailor's leaving", Elliot said, hands on the counter.  
  
"Bummer", Jamie said. "That long, blonde hair one?"  
  
Elliot nodded in reply.  
  
"She's cute, she going back to India, huh?" Jamie had been working in 'La Fromage' since his dad opened it, so he knew most of the gossip. But most people talked about how cool Tailor was. That she was just popular by nature without doing anything.  
  
"Yeah", Elliot said. "She's meeting me here".  
  
"I'll miss her", Jamie said sympathetically. "She's cool. We often say 'hi' if I ever see her. Last time I did was in the summer holidays".  
  
"Yeah, she's friends with anyone, she'd never say anything bad", Elliot said with admiration for his friend.  
  
"Here", Jamie handed the bottle of coke to his friend and wiped his hands on a cloth that was attached to his trouser belt.  
  
"Thanks", Elliot took it gratefully and smiled.  
  
"The Queen arrives", Jamie said after 5 minutes. "Damnit. Obviously, as always, heads turn, I bet that gets annoying for her".  
  
Elliot turned around and saw that Jamie was right. As soon as Tailor came in, even wearing her daily clothes, nearly every head turned. Boys turned their heads as if they've seen a glimpse of heaven and girls turn their heads in jealousy. Jamie smiled at Elliot and he smiled back. It wasn't exactly fair on Tailor and probably only Jamie, Garth, Emma and him knew that. But Tailor dealt with it.  
  
Elliot watched his friend stop and give a fed-up stare at everyone. She put her hands on her hips and sighed.  
  
"As you were!!" She said loudly. Everyone quickly turned their heads back to chatting but their topics changed to talking about Tailor, either about how beautiful she is or how envious people were.  
  
Tailor just nodded and walked over to Elliot. She sat on a stool and smiled at him. "Hi", she said softly.  
  
Elliot knew something was different.  
  
"Yo Tailor! Long time no see, want a drink?"  
  
Tailor smiled and hugged Jamie over the bar, getting jealous glances from a few girls and the same from a few boys. Jamie stuck his tongue out at most of them and Tailor giggled.  
  
"Hi Jamie! Coke please". She let go of him and put her arms on the counter, tapping slightly.  
  
"How's ya foot?" Elliot asked her.  
  
"Perfect, can walk without limping now".  
  
"So what's wrong?"  
  
Tailor sighed and accepted her coke off Jamie. He said a quick 'bye' to them and went to serve at the other end of the bar. Tailor gave a smile to Jamie and turned her attention back to Elliot.  
  
"My dad's back", she said quietly.  
  
"That's a problem?" Elliot said, confused.  
  
"No", Tailor said. "It's the bimbo he's brought back with him! Stupid. I hate her Elliot, I really do. Do you remember 'Parent Trap'? Well, she's worse! Much, much worse!"  
  
Elliot's eyes widened. "Worse?"  
  
"Yeah", Tailor said putting a hand to her forehead and sipping her coke. "I've never seen someone as bad as her. All looks. She don't care a hell about my dad, she's nothing like my mother. All she cares about is money".  
  
"What's her name?" Elliot asked.  
  
"Do I have to say it?"  
  
"If you want me to help you? Yes, you do".  
  
"Lydia. Eww, hate her, hate her, hate her", Tailor pushed her drink aside and rested her hands on the counter, fiddling with her fingers.  
  
"How can you hate her if you've only just met her?"  
  
"It's just a feeling that you know, Elliot, I can just tell, like when I'm upset or something, you can just tell, can't you?"  
  
"Suppose so, but -."  
  
"No buts. I know she's trouble". Tailor rested her head in her hands.  
  
"So what are you going to do?" Elliot said, looking at his friend.  
  
"What can I do? Dad has made his decision. Who I am to interfere with that? I'm his daughter. I can't decide for him. If he wants her . . . then that's his choice . . . I'm not going to be cruel and take that from him".  
  
"You're so kind, you know that Tailor".  
  
"Yeah right, if I'm so kind then why did I say to Lydia that I get my beautiful looks by nature and she gets them in a beauty store? Dad won't be happy about that", her voice sounded muffled because her head was pressed against her hands.  
  
"Did she say you was beautiful?" Elliot asked her.  
  
"Yeah . . . That's why I said that remark . . . but she was commenting on me to make a good impression on my dad, like it was true".  
  
Elliot was about to say something against that when a boy strolled over to them and put his arm around Tailor.  
  
"Hey babe", he slurred. "Want a drink?"  
  
"Got one babe", Tailor slurred back. "Thanks anyway, bye!" She gave him a shove and he walked off, mouthing words under his breath.  
  
"See?" Elliot said when he was gone. "You ARE beautiful, otherwise he wouldn't have came up to ya".  
  
"Jerk", Tailor mumbled.  
  
Elliot sighed and grabbed her hands. "Maybe you ought to just TRY and be nice to this Lydia, it couldn't hurt to get to know her".  
  
"I guess you're right, two days couldn't hurt", she squeezed Elliot's hands. "As long as you come and see me tomorrow, that's when we leave. WE. Including Lydia I'm guessing".  
  
//  
  
"Hey Raph!!" Tailor walked down into the sewer tunnel and saw that Raph was already in there. "Going somewhere?" She asked.  
  
"No", Raph answered. "Just taking a break from a daily routine. Mikey's getting on my nerves as well"  
  
"Yeah . . . what doing?" Tailor asked leaning against a wall.  
  
Raph leaned on the wall opposite her. "Just being Mikey", he said.  
  
Tailor smiled at him.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be with April?" Raph asked her. "Your dad's coming isn't he? I thought you was supposed to meet him".  
  
"I stomped out", she said rather sadly. "Dad brought LYDIA back with him"; she said her name in a baby voice. "I don't like her, she's like the bimbo off 'Parent Trap', but I spoke to Elliot and he said I should try and be nice to her".  
  
"Might as well get to know her", Raph agreed.  
  
"You're just like Elliot!" Tailor moaned. "No one knows what she's really like. Even Casey was shocked because of her!"  
  
"Probably just gawping at her looks", Raph said, folding his arms.  
  
"No . . . it was shock. Looks aren't everything! Damn looks! Hate it!"  
  
"You've got no complaining", Raph said.  
  
Tailor sighed. "I have. I know dad says I look just like mum and that she was beautiful. But you don't have to put up with it! Eyes watching you wherever you go. Pointing. Jealousy. I walked in that place where I was meeting Elliot and people think I don't notice heads turn? I had to shout 'as you were' to get them to turn back".  
  
Raph let out a chuckle. "You said that?"  
  
Tailor shrugged. "Had to".  
  
"Ya know, people would kill just to have your looks", Raph said, he blushed a little but he wasn't bothered.  
  
"I know . . . But they'd get sick of it". Tailor lowered her head. She was sick of it. Only Elliot, Jamie, Garth, Emma, April, Casey, Splinter and the guys knew how much it bothered her.  
  
"Hey, you ok?" Raph walked over and stood next to her.  
  
Tailor sniffed. "I'm sick of it all", she said in a quiet voice. "I also don't want to leave".  
  
Raph stared at her, wide eyed. "You don't want to leave here? But what about India?"  
  
"Who cares?! This is where my real friends are. Elliot - ESPECIALLY Elliot. Garth. Emma. Jamie. April. Casey. Splinter. Mikey. Leo. Donnie. YOU".  
  
"I wouldn't consider myself a real friend", Raph said.  
  
"I would!" Tailor objected. "I don't want to leave".  
  
She surprised Raph when he saw two big tears drops fall from her cheeks and onto the floor. Tailor quickly wiped her eyes and looked at Raph.  
  
"I love my dad, Raph. I'd do anything for him. That includes being nice to Lydia. But it's hard. If only you'd see her, anyone would be able tell she was all money and no love. Even April could tell. I could tell . . . what am I going to do?"  
  
A few more tears escaped her eyes and fell onto the floor. Raph felt a pang of sadness touch him. Did she really go through this much? It was amazing how strong she was and now she was standing in front of him, weak and upset.  
  
Raph gently put an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, don't cry, you're supposed to be the strong one here. You'll get through this".  
  
Tailor smiled. "Thanks".  
  
Raph slowly put his other arm around her and pulled her into a hug. He knew she needed comforting right now but maybe Splinter would be better at this.  
  
Tailor, touched by his comforting, leaned her head on his plastron. "Thanks", she repeated, her hands resting on his arms.  
  
"No problem", Raph answered, taking in the scent of her hair. It was amazing, for the first time Raph had seen Tailor cry.  
  
He let her go and kept his hands on her shoulders. "Better?" He asked, giving her a small smile.  
  
Tailor sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Thanks".  
  
"That all you can say?" He joked.  
  
Tailor smiled and shook her head. "No, I'll be fine, I better go".  
  
Raph walked over with her to the manhole. Tailor stared up at it and heard nothing, meaning to her that the coast was clear. She turned to Raph and gave him a hug. "Thanks, I'll see ya tomorrow, I'm spending all day with my dad and Lydia, I suppose, so April and me are coming here tomorrow . . . with Casey of course".  
  
"Sure".  
  
"Bye Raph", she kissed his cheek and climbed up the ladder and out of the manhole. She leaned back over it and looked down. "It was already open and I'm too weak to close it", she said with a smile. "See ya!"  
  
Raph smiled and watched her go. He climbed up and watched Tailor round the corner. When he saw her safely limp around the corner he closed the manhole.  
  
He'd miss Tailor, Raph thought while walking back home, no doubt about that. It wasn't fair that she would have to leave against her own will.  
  
//  
  
(Phew! This one wiped me out! Enjoy! More to come! Thanks for the reviews! Love ya all!) 


	20. Lydia's Departure

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 20: Lydia's Departure  
  
When Tailor got to April's apartment door she saw Lydia just coming out. Lydia gave a hard stare at Tailor but then it softened. Tailor noticed that she had a cigarette in her hand. Gross.  
  
"Hello, Tailor darling!"  
  
"Er, hey", Tailor said, taking a step towards the door. "Where are you going?" Be polite, be polite, be polite, she repeated to herself.  
  
"Oh, I have a major project to do at work, so I'm leaving for a few weeks. My suitcases are in a hotel at the end of the city". Lydia inhaled her cigarette and blew out the smoke, right in Tailor's face.  
  
Tailor let out a cough, but she was relived. "Ok then, bye".  
  
"Bye darling!" Lydia said.  
  
Tailor grabbed hold of the door handle. "Oh and don't you know", she said, turning back to Lydia. "That every FAG (she didn't want to use a posh word in front of this bimbo) that you have it takes up a minute of your life. In your case, in that minute you could . . . umm, let's think . . . oh, I dunno . . . paint your nails!"  
  
Lydia looked at her, shocked, the cigarette smoking away in her hand.  
  
"Well . . . bye!" Tailor said cheerfully and walked in the apartment, slamming the door behind her, proud with her remark.  
  
"Hate her, hate her, hate her", Tailor chanted when she walked inside. She walked over to the counter and switched on the kettle. "If I have to try and be nice to her, I swear . . . I'll die . . . I'll drop dead".  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't want you to do that", said a voice behind her.  
  
Tailor jumped and quickly spun around. "Dad, you scared me".  
  
Tony smiled at her. Tailor knew that he was mad at her. He was still dressed in his blue jeans and white t-shirt, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Tailor grabbed her plait at the back of her head and started twisting it in her fingers.  
  
Tony kept his smile fixed on his face and he shook his head. "Sorry if I scared you", he said.  
  
Tailor sighed and dropped her plait out of her hands. "No, dad, it's me who's sorry", the kettle let off a 'click' and Tailor grabbed it, pouring hot water into her cup. "Want one?" she asked her dad.  
  
"No thanks".  
  
Tailor put the kettle back on its holder. "Like I said, it's me who's sorry, dad. I wasn't very polite to Lydia".  
  
"Indeed, you wasn't", Tony sat himself on a stool and stared at his daughter.  
  
Tailor chucked her tea bag away and perched herself on the stool opposite her dad. She sipped a bit of her tea and looked around. "Where's April and Casey?"  
  
"They said they've gone to see some old friends".  
  
Mutant turtles, don't you mean? Tailor thought.  
  
"Oh, how long is Lydia out of town for?"  
  
"How did you know Lydia was out of town?"  
  
"I saw her outside", Tailor gave her dad a small smile.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I . . . sorta . . . kinda . . . said that she shouldn't smoke . . . that every cigarette she smokes it would take a minute up of her life . . . and in that minute she could be painting her nails".  
  
Her dad raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing.  
  
Tailor lifted her arms up innocently. "I was giving her a history lesson", she said in her sweet voice.  
  
"I take it you don't like Lydia", Tony said.  
  
"Duh", Tailor mumbled, under her breath.  
  
"Heard that", Tony smiled. "Look, Tailor, you know that sometime in my life I have to move on. Your mothers been gone a year now and she would want us to move on, because nothing -."  
  
" - Can take mama's place in your heart", Tailor finished for him, having learned this phrase off by heart. "No one would ever take over mama's spirit, because she's alive and looking over us . . . I know dad".  
  
"See? What's your problem then?"  
  
Tailor sighed. "Lydia . . . just that . . . she isn't my style. She isn't mum, I guess. She buys her way through dresses and make-up and that just isn't me, dad".  
  
"I thought so . . . that's why I've ended it with her".  
  
"Wha' . . .?"  
  
"It don't matter, Tailor. I guess in a way you helped me realised that she wasn't my type, either. When she saw you outside, she probably didn't want you suspecting anything so she made up some excuse -."  
  
" - Going away to work", Tailor said, hands wrapped around her cup.  
  
"Right, well, I realised that she wouldn't be a good mother for you. So I ended it".  
  
"Because of MOI?" Tailor asked, tearfully.  
  
"Of course not, sweetie"  
  
Tailor bit her lip to stop herself from crying. "But, basically, I ended your relationship with Lydia . . . I'm sorry dad".  
  
"Hey, don't you worry about it", Tony reached over and pulled a strand of hair away from Tailor's face. He rested his hand on her cheek and smiled. "Me and you will spend some quality time together before we go back . . . how about going ice skating?"  
  
Tailor opened her eyes wide in excitement. "Totally".  
  
"Great", Tony nodded. "Now ring Elliot, they always say three's a crowd but not in my book".  
  
//  
  
When Raph got back to his home April and Casey were already there. Knowing that Tailor was spending time with her dad and maybe Lydia, Raph didn't ask where she was.  
  
"Yo April, Casey", Raph nodded and sat down on the sofa.  
  
April and Casey shared the sofa with him and Splinter sat in his armchair. His other brothers sat on the floor, eyes fixed on the T.V.  
  
"Where have you been, Raphael?" Splinter asked him, leaning over the arm of his chair to meet his son's eyes.  
  
The other's had their gaze on the T.V so Raph whispered to his master: "I was just walking around Master Splinter. I bumped into Tailor and she was upset so I had to calm her down before watching her leave".  
  
"Why was she upset, my son?" Splinter asked.  
  
"Something to do with her dad bringing home a new girlfriend. Also the fact that she was upset about leaving . . . she said she'd come round 'ere tomorrow".  
  
"Anything else, my son?"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Not that I know of"  
  
"Yo Raph! Hangman?" Mikey chirped up, before Splinter could ask his son anything else.  
  
Raph gave a small smile. "Sure Mikey, but I get Donnie".  
  
"Wha'. . .?" Donnie asked, looking from the T.V. "Why do I have to be on your side? Maybe I want to be with Mikey".  
  
"Because you're a brain-e-ack", Raph said, smiling. "I call dibs on you anyway, so you can't object".  
  
"Fine!" Donnie said.  
  
"Ok . . . then I get Leo", Mikey said. "Then Casey and April can team against the winners, ok?"  
  
"Ok", everyone answered.  
  
"You playing, Master?" Leo asked.  
  
"No thank you, Leonardo", Splinter answered. "I get enough entertainment watching you play".  
  
//  
  
"Umm", Mikey looked over the piece of paper Donnie had given him. It was now 4 to Raph and Donnie and 2 to Leo and Mikey. They all agreed that the first person to win 5 would win.  
  
A _ _ h _ t e r _  
  
"Put an 'S' in, Donnie", Leo said. Mikey was still gazing in confusion at the paper while Leo was guessing all the letters.  
  
"You've only got 4 lives left, Leo", Donnie said, putting the letter in and handing it back to his brother.  
  
A _ s h _ t e r _  
  
"What about an 'N'? . . . I can't think of anything else to go with the 'A' . . . and even Leo can't", Mikey smiled his cute smile.  
  
"Sorry buddy, only 3 lives left", Donnie drew a leg on the stick figure of the diagram. All he had to do now was wait for a leg and two more arms, and then he and Raph would have won.  
  
Leo smiled just then and looked up. "Ai shiteru"  
  
"Damn", Raph said. "Trust him to know all the Japanese".  
  
"What's it mean?" Mikey asked.  
  
"Means 'I love you', Mikey", Donnie said.  
  
"Aww", Mikey said, smiling. "I love you too, Donnie".  
  
Donnie smiled and shook his head. "Ok, your turn", he handed the paper over to his two brothers and waited while they discussed what word to have.  
  
"Ok, got it", Leo said, handing the paper to Raph and Donnie.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _  
  
"Ok, erm, 'A'", Donnie suggested.  
  
"Yup, and 'E'", Raph said.  
  
Leo took the paper back and put in the letters. He gave it back to Raph and Donnie, smiling at them.  
  
_ _ _ _ _ _ a _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _ e / _ a _ e  
  
"How about a 'H'?" Raph asked, jumping straight into any letter.  
  
H _ _ _ h _ a _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _ e / _ a _ e  
  
"Erm, 'N'", Raph said glancing at Donnie. "You gonna take a guess?"  
  
"Nope", Donnie answered, smiling.  
  
Leo smiled while putting the letters in. He gave the paper back to Raph.  
  
H _ n _ h _ a _ _ / _ _ / N _ _ _ e / _ a _ e  
  
"Erm, how about a -."  
  
" - Hunchback Of Notre Dame", Donnie blurted out.  
  
"Wha' . . .?" Mikey said, stunned.  
  
Leo just shrugged and put it in. "Great, you and Raph can team against April and Casey now. Take it easy, don't overdo your brain, Donnie".  
  
Donnie smiled. "Moi? Never".  
  
"Cheat", Mikey mumbled.  
  
"Do not!" Donnie said, hearing the remark.  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!" Mikey stuck his tongue out at his brother.  
  
"Do too!" Donnie smiled.  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Ah ha! Gotcha again!"  
  
"Not fair!" Mikey leaned against the chair and folded his arms.  
  
//  
  
"Yah hah!!" Mikey shouted.  
  
"Nah ah!!" Donnie shouted back.  
  
"Yah hah!!"  
  
"Nah ah!!"  
  
"Yah hahhhhh!!"  
  
"Nah ahhhhh!!"  
  
"Ok, enough guys!!" Leo came in between Mikey and Donnie. They were sitting both opposite ends of the kitchen table, staring at each other. A pizza slice lay in the middle on a plate.  
  
"Donnie says I can't have it", Mikey moaned.  
  
"You've already had 6 slices".  
  
"I can have another one!" Mikey argued.  
  
"Nah ah!!"  
  
"Yah hah!!"  
  
"Nah ah!!"  
  
"Yah -."  
  
"Ok stop!" Leo glared angrily at his brothers but on the inside he was smiling. Donnie and Mikey always fought over something. "There's a reasonable way to handle this".  
  
Leo clapped his hands. "Raph!"  
  
Raph walked in the kitchen and smiled. It was the usual Donnie vs. Mikey over-the-last-pizza-slice gig. Raph, grinning, walked over to the table and grabbed the pizza.  
  
Smiling, he walked out, taking the warm pizza with him and giving Leo a 'high-three' on the way.  
  
"See?" Leo said, smiling. "Problem solved".  
  
He walked out of the kitchen, leaving Donnie and Mikey to stare at the empty table.  
  
"This is all your fault", Mikey said sadly.  
  
"Nah ah!" Donnie argued.  
  
"Yah hah!"  
  
"Nah ah!"  
  
"Yah hah!"  
  
"Nah ah!" . . .  
  
//  
  
. . . "Y-Yah hah".  
  
"Nah ah!"  
  
"Yah hah . . . I give up . . . truce?"  
  
Donnie's smile widened. "Ha, I win!"  
  
But Mikey wasn't listening . . . he had fallen asleep in an instant with his head resting on the kitchen table.  
  
//  
  
"Yo, Tailor, duck!"  
  
Tailor bent down and Elliot skated straight over her.  
  
"Watch it! I'm skating over 'ere!" Tailor shouted playfully. Her dad had taken a break and was watching them from the café at the side of the arena.  
  
The ice stadium was right next to the cinema. Tailor and her dad had picked up Elliot and had gone straight there. Only half an hour of skating had passed, and Tailor was having the time of her life. It was fun spending time with her dad, but Elliot gave it that extra little bit of excitement.  
  
The stadium went in a huge circle. It was hardly busy, since people got use to going everyday, either that, or, they were broke. Now there was Tailor, her dad, Elliot and a few more kids from different schools.  
  
"Yo, O'Neill!" Tailor turned round and came face to face with Elliot. He stumbled into her and fell on the floor.  
  
Tailor laughed. "You shouldn't go so fast!"  
  
Elliot stuck his tongue out at her from the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, Tailor could see her dad laughing under his breath at Elliot.  
  
Tailor extended her hand. "Maybe you should slow down".  
  
Elliot grabbed her hand and heaved himself up. "Slow down?" He asked, still keeping hold of her hand. "Coming from a girl who runs to the cinema and back?"  
  
Tailor smiled. "The only reason I'm not going fast", she argued. "Is because of my foot". Which was true. She had to ring Donnie to ask him if it was ok if she could go.  
  
"Sure", Donnie had said. "Just take it slow".  
  
Tailor had spent most of her time just skating around the whole stadium with Elliot following close behind.  
  
Elliot smiled at her. "Wanna have a skate round?"  
  
Tailor nodded. "Sure, it's what we're here for".  
  
Elliot let go of her hand and they both skated around the stadium, sometimes going fast and sometimes going slow. Tailor loved ice-skating, but her foot let her down a little since she couldn't go as fast, after a few minutes she headed over to one of the benches at the side of the circle for a break.  
  
"You ok?" Elliot asked, skating up to her.  
  
"Taking a break", she answered. "Don't wanna overdo it".  
  
Elliot nodded. "Ok".  
  
"Not like me to stop, is it?" She asked him, grinning.  
  
Elliot shook his head. "No, but don't worry, I don't mind".  
  
//  
  
Tony watched his daughter from the side of the stadium and smiled. Tailor was so young, yet so full of energy. Ever since she could walk she use to run around the house, trying to reach things or trying to do a roly-poly. When she went to her first gym lesson her face glowed with excitement.  
  
Tony sighed a little. He knew Tailor would be upset to go back to India, but he had no choice but to take her. She was his daughter and India was their home.  
  
Elliot would come and visit of course, Tony thought, watching Elliot sit on the bench next to Tailor. He was always there for her. Tony was a best friend to his mum, which he had to see before he went. Tony smiled. It was amazing how well Elliot and Tailor got along.  
  
//  
  
"You ok now?" Elliot asked.  
  
"Fine", Tailor said. She got up and grabbed Elliot's hands. "C'mon, I came here to skate and I ain't gonna stop now . . . Yo dad!" Tailor shouted. "C'mon. You're missing out!"  
  
Tony smiled from his table and got up, leaving some money and a tip and his thoughts behind. Let Tailor enjoy what time she has left here, he thought, it was the least he could do for her.  
  
//  
  
(Finishing this one. Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy! As usual - thanking you individually! Love ya : ) - as always!) 


	21. Hard To Say Goodbye

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Chapter 21: Hard To Say Goodbye  
  
Elliot brushed his thumb over Tailor's wet eyelashes.  
  
"Don't cry, Tailor", he murmured softly into her hair. "We'll see each other again in May - that's when we have a week off school".  
  
Tailor shivered. She was at Elliot's house saying her last goodbye to him. Since India was really hot she had a pair of blue, denim shorts on and a yellow vest, followed by a baggy yellow jumper to keep her warm. It had stopped snowing but the temperature was making her cold.  
  
She didn't know why she had cried. But when Elliot had opened his arms for her to cuddle him, she had just burst out crying. Her dad was downstairs, talking to Elliot's mum and dad, while she was here with warm tears falling down her cheeks.  
  
"Hey", he added softly, hands on her shoulders. She looked at him with her sad, blue eyes. "Don't worry about it, we'll write everyday".  
  
Tailor managed a small nod in return.  
  
Don't cry, Elliot told himself, you're her best friend, you don't cry, she's the one you should comfort, not the other way round.  
  
"I'll text you as well", he said, eyes looking in hers and beyond.  
  
Elliot frowned, and then it clicked. "You - you don't want to leave do you?"  
  
Tailor sniffed, a few more tears escaped her eyes and fell on her cheeks. Slowly, she shook her head.  
  
"Why?" He asked her.  
  
She shook her head again, looking at his bedroom floor.  
  
"C'mon, Tailor, say something", Elliot was surprised she was this quiet. He didn't want her to leave but he knew that wasn't the reason that she wanted to stay.  
  
"I - I can't leave", she finally whispered.  
  
"Why can't you?" Elliot willed her to look at him, but her head remained down, gazing at the floor.  
  
"Because . . . I don't want to . . . I - I don't want to leave everything", Tailor said, her hands on his arms. "I can't leave everything . . . April, my friends . . . you".  
  
Elliot's frown deepened. "I said we'd keep in touch".  
  
Tailor's head shook again. "It's not enough", she said, thinking of Raph, his brothers and Splinter. "New York has changed me . . . I fit-in here . . . leaving just doesn't seem an option".  
  
Elliot grabbed a tissue off his bedside table and handed it to her. He watched her blow her nose and wipe at her eyes. Her face was red but she didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Why don't you tell your dad?" Elliot asked, feeling bad for her.  
  
"Can't", she said, finally looking at him. "My dad WANTS to go back to India . . . I shouldn't make a decision for him . . . I'm going back for his sake".  
  
Amazing, Elliot thought, she was doing all this for her dad.  
  
"TAILOR! YOU READY?" shouted a voice from downstairs.  
  
Tailor gave a small smile. "YEAH!" she shouted back.  
  
Tailor and Elliot looked at each other. Tailor gave him a smile and put her arms round his neck. "Bye Elliot", she said into his shoulder. "I'll phone you when I get there".  
  
"See ya", Elliot said, hugging her back. Don't cry, don't cry, DON'T cry.  
  
She pulled away from him and kissed his cheek. Then, giving him a sad glance, she walked out of his bedroom and closed the door.  
  
//  
  
Tailor's dad stayed at April's while they went to visit the guys. April had told her brother that she needed to do a report and that Tailor could tag along. Tailor disapproved of lying but she had no choice.  
  
"You ok?" April asked her, when they turned a corner.  
  
"Yeah", Tailor answered. Her and her dad were leaving at 3:00. It was now 12:00 and Tailor had to say goodbye to everyone early so that she and her dad could get to the airport.  
  
Her face was red, she knew, but she wasn't bothered. How could she leave now? Saying goodbye was the hardest thing she had to do.  
  
"C'mon", April said, linking arms with her niece. "Leo said he would meet us at 12:10, seeing as we can't lift the manhole".  
  
//  
  
"Bye Mikey", Tailor said, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I'll miss you, Tailor", Mikey said softly. "You'll come back and see us? . . . won't you?"  
  
Tailor sniffed. "Sure, till then, take care".  
  
Mikey nodded and let her go.  
  
Tailor had said goodbye to everyone. First Splinter, who hugged her and told her she was welcome back at anytime. Then Donnie, who said he'd miss her and would love to see her again. Then Leo, who Tailor hadn't got to know very well and she apologised for this.  
  
"No sweat", Leo had said, smiling. "I'm still glad I met ya".  
  
She had just given her last goodbye to Mikey. Tailor had let a few tears fall down her face but she couldn't stop them, even if she tried to. Now, she came face to face with Raph.  
  
"Bye", Raph said, but it came in a whisper.  
  
Tailor smiled and bit her lip. Slowly, she put her arms around him, since she didn't have the heart to say 'goodbye'.  
  
Raph ignored his brother's shocked expressions when he put his arms round Tailor back. He knew that she didn't want to leave. He knew the reasons why. And he knew, that he didn't want her to leave also.  
  
"I'll miss you", she whispered, a fresh set of tears rolling from her eyes.  
  
"I'll miss you too, Tailor", Raph said. He let her go and put his hands on her shoulders. "Feel free to drop by, kay?"  
  
She smiled a little. "Yeah . . . when I come back"  
  
Splinter stepped forward and smiled. "We will all miss you, my child. You have made this Christmas one to remember".  
  
Tailor sniffed and nodded. "Ditto . . . bye".  
  
//  
  
"Bye Casey", Tailor said, now back at April's apartment.  
  
"See ya, kid", Casey said, hugging her. He let her go and held up his hand.  
  
Tailor slap him a 'high-five' and smiled.  
  
She turned to April. "Next Christmas, right?"  
  
April smiled and nodded. "Next Christmas"  
  
Tailor grabbed her aunt into a hug. It's not fair, she thought, why do these things always happen to me? First my mum leaves, and now I've got to leave my friends and family.  
  
"We better go", Tony said, resting a hand on his daughter's shoulder.  
  
April nodded and let Tailor go. "We'll write everyday".  
  
Tailor nodded. "Yeah". That's what Elliot said, she thought.  
  
Tony said his 'good-bye' to April by giving her a tight hug, and then he shook hands firmly with Casey.  
  
"Thanks for having her, April", Tony said, when they walked out of the door, suitcases in their hands.  
  
"It was no problem", April replied, forcing herself not to cry. Casey kept a comforting hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.  
  
"Bye April", Tailor said with a small smile.  
  
"Bye sweetheart", April said.  
  
//  
  
As Tailor sat in the seat of the plane she began to think. Maybe she didn't want to leave New York but could you blame her not wanting to? She had made five new friends and they had changed her. Even her dad didn't notice the change but she did. It didn't show on the outside but it definitely showed on the inside.  
  
She had become more confident.  
  
More energetic.  
  
More determined.  
  
Less scared.  
  
Showed herself more.  
  
Became closer to Elliot.  
  
Closer to Raph.  
  
Definitely closer to April.  
  
Also . . . she had made six new friends . . . Casey included.  
  
Her dad glanced at her and smiled. "You ok?" he asked.  
  
"Fine", Tailor said, staring out of the window.  
  
She couldn't see New York; all she could see was ocean. All oceans.  
  
The airhostess came round with the food and handed a tray to the pretty girl sitting in the window seat.  
  
Tailor said 'thank-you' but kept her gaze out of the window.  
  
"Aren't you hungry?" her dad asked her.  
  
Tailor clicked inside and gave him a bright smile. "Yeah . . . I was just thinking . . . I'm fine now".  
  
She took the wrapping off her food and had a look inside. Potatoes. Carrots. Peas, (yuck). Chicken. Not bad, Tailor thought when she dug her fork into it and had her first bite.  
  
I'll be back, she told herself firmly, but I'll be counting down the days until I do . . . 


	22. Epologue Together Again

A Christmas To Remember  
  
Epilogue: Together Again  
  
One Year Later  
  
  
  
The snowy buildings of New York glistened as the sun went down and the crescent moon came up.  
  
Raphael sat on the roof of April O'Neill's apartment, watching the last part of the sun going down. Winter had come and was almost gone. It was the night of New Year's Day and everyone was coming from parties and making their way home.  
  
Raph sighed and carried on watching some drunken people walk home. He didn't mind drunken people, I mean; they're only having fun. Where's the harm in that? It was just that they were happy and he was . . . well . . . not, so happy.  
  
He tapped his legs against the roof of the building and grabbed his trench coat more tightly around him. He watched puffs of cloud escape his mouth and disappear.  
  
"Hey Raph", said a voice behind him. "You should come inside. We shouldn't stay outside in the cold too long, it'll slow our systems down".  
  
"Thanks for that, Leo", Raph said, not turning around.  
  
"Just saying bro; and Casey wants to have an arm wrestle with you", Leo stood behind his brother, willing him to turn around.  
  
"S'ok, I'll be there in a bit", Raph answered.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"I'm fine, Leo. Don't worry about me. Give me at least 5 minutes of peace", Raph watched the remains of the sun disappear.  
  
"Ok", Leo said slowly, then turned to go back inside.  
  
Raph watched his brother leave the rooftop. He didn't exactly need five minutes. He had been out here for nearly half an hour. He was just thinking . . .  
  
It wasn't as though he was depressed. He was just . . . what was he? He missed Tailor quite a bit but it couldn't have anything to do with that . . . could it?  
  
When she left he was upset, but he'd never tell his brothers that. Splinter had known he was a little bit upset and had left him to his own problems. She had phoned and spoken to him a few times and she wrote so many letters to April, Casey and them.  
  
Raph smiled as he remembered one letter:  
  
Hey guys!  
  
S'up? I hope you're missing me! I'm missing you!  
  
Today dad and me just did the traditional father / daughter togetherness gig. We went swimming in the small lake that's here. Fed my adopted elephant, we also hung around with my mum's best mate, Ash (aka; Ashley). She's cool. Since mum died she always came round to cheer us up, (and with the best cookies!).  
  
I hope you're doing ok. Erm . . . I think that's a question as well as a hope! I have already sent April a letter and I'm seeing if I can come down in the summer holidays (I'm afraid it's a 'maybe'). I've already sent one to Elliot saying the same thing. I miss him as well.  
  
Don't worry about me! (Well . . . I hope you do worry about me!). I'm fine - and glad to say I'm tanned!! A lovely golden / brown . . . but don't worry! It doesn't compare to your lovely green shade!  
  
Missing you!  
  
Lots of love! (And hugs for Mikey),  
  
Tailor xXx.  
  
She had sent that letter in May, Raph remembered. But she couldn't come in the summer holidays, she had to stay and look after her dad because he broke his foot when redecorating her bedroom.  
  
Something tapped Raph on the shoulder and he growled.  
  
"Leo, I told you, I'm not coming down!" Raph whispered angrily.  
  
"Not even with an old friend?" said a voice.  
  
"I -." Raph stopped and turned around. "What -.?"  
  
Tailor smiled at him. "Surprised ya, huh?"  
  
Raph didn't say anything, just nodded his head. He studied her carefully. She was definitely tanned. Her blonde hair was a lighter colour and it was tied back in a plait. Her skin was a darker golden / brown than he last saw her and her blue eyes glowed with happiness. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a navy blue top / jumper that had 'Spirit' written across it in fancy red writing. She had her 'adidas' trainers on her feet.  
  
"Something wrong?" she asked, noticing him looking at her.  
  
Raph shook his head and smiled. "What are ya doing here?" he asked.  
  
Tailor smiled and shrugged. "What? No 'hello'? 'How are you'? Or 'nice to see you Tailor. I missed you so much'? How about a 'you look great'?"  
  
Raph pulled a face at her. "Does it matter?"  
  
"Umm . . . yes", Tailor answered, she watched Raph stand up and wipe the front of his trench coat. "Come give me a hug then", she added.  
  
"I don't do hugs", Raph said, hands raised up.  
  
"Aww, I do", Tailor ran into him and put her arms around his neck. Raph stumbled back a little, but hugged her back, he was really glad she came back, but he didn't know why or how.  
  
"I missed you", she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.  
  
Raph shivered a little. "I missed you too", he said quietly.  
  
Tailor pulled away from him. "You shouldn't stay out here", she said, grabbing his arm. "Come on, let's go back inside. I have to go see Elliot then I'll come back here".  
  
"How did you get here?" Raph asked her.  
  
Tailor turned to him and smiled. "How everyone else gets here . . . an aeroplane. I wanted to surprise you so dad arranged for me to come on New Year's Day. I'm a bit late though", she added.  
  
"Have you seen the others?"  
  
"Yeah", Tailor said. "Mikey nearly strangled me though!"  
  
"He would", Raph said.  
  
"He missed me", Tailor said proudly and in a teasing tone. "Now the only person I have to surprise is Elliot. His parents have taken him to a party and they said that I could surprise him there. Am I good or what?"  
  
"Erm . . . nope", Raph said.  
  
She punched him playfully on the arm. "It was a rhetorical question".  
  
//  
  
'RHP' club was where Elliot's family went every year. Tailor had only been a few times but she had spent all of her New Year's Day in India. The only time she came with Elliot was on his birthdays. It was the club that most people went to when they hung out. But only members could go in.  
  
Tailor walked in the door and was stopped.  
  
"Membership card?" said a man at the door.  
  
"Tailor O'Neill", Tailor just replied.  
  
The man eyed her up and down. "O'Neill?"  
  
"Yes", Tailor said. "O'Neill".  
  
The man grabbed his clipboard off the counter next to him and flipped over several pieces of paper. He raised his eyebrows at her.  
  
"For Elliot?" he asked.  
  
Man, are you always this nosy? Tailor thought. "Yes".  
  
"Go in", he said, watching her with eyes like a hawk.  
  
Tailor smiled and walked past him. She entered the room and smiled. 'RHP' was a small square room with table going round all of it. A D.J stood in the middle with music blaring out of the speakers. Quite a few people were dancing and Tailor's eyes scanned the room.  
  
She had spotted her target. Elliot was sat, hunched in a chair, opposite her. He didn't see her because his head was down and he was fiddling with a beer mat, looking bored. Tailor spotted his parents slow-dancing on the dance floor.  
  
She walked over to where Elliot was sitting and smiled. "Hey handsome", she said in a joking voice.  
  
"I am not in the mood to flirt!" Elliot said, his head still down.  
  
"Whoa", Tailor said. "Flirt? You mean you flirt when I'm not here?"  
  
Elliot's eyes shot open and his head slowly lifted towards her. He hadn't recognised her voice because his mind was somewhere else. She looked great though, in her blue jeans and navy blue top.  
  
"I -."  
  
" - You . . . ?" Tailor put her hands behind her back and leaned towards him, waiting for an answer.  
  
"I -."  
  
" - Yes?" Tailor stood there, grinning.  
  
Elliot's shocked face broke into a grin. "You look great", he said.  
  
"Thank you", she said. "But flatterer ain't gonna get you outta this. You said flirting"; she raised her eyebrows. "Whadda mean flirting?"  
  
"A girl's been hitting on me", he explained. "I snapped".  
  
"Obviously", Tailor's eyes move sideways to the D.J and she noticed that another slow song had just started playing. "Dance?" she asked Elliot.  
  
"Totally", Elliot replied, getting up. Tailor looked at him, in his blue jeans and (from what she could see in the disco light) red shirt. She smiled. He hadn't changed a bit . . . except his hair, she noticed, it was a bit shorter and was spiked up more on the top of his head.  
  
On the dance floor, Tailor put her arms around Elliot's neck. She had promised April she would only be half an hour so she vowed to spend every minute of it.  
  
Elliot's hands went around her waist and he tried to ignore the satisfied looks he was getting from his parents.  
  
Elliot's dad, who was like an older version of Elliot, smiled and mouthed 'hello' to Tailor. She smiled back and mouthed 'hi'. His mum was resting her head on her husband's shoulder so she couldn't mouth anything to Tailor because her head was turned the other way.  
  
'Titanic' was the only slow song they normally played but this time 'RHP' was playing 'Hallelujah' that Tailor noticed a couple of kids were asking the D.J shyly. Tailor smiled, at least it wasn't 'Titanic' - listening to 'Shrek' seemed better.  
  
"I missed you", Elliot said to her.  
  
Tailor smiled at him. "I miss you too. I'm sorry I couldn't come in the holidays. Dad had to go and fall off the stepladder".  
  
Elliot smiled. "S'ok - I didn't think you'd be able to come until the next summer holidays, I was worried about you".  
  
Tailor nodded. "I know, ditto, but now I'm back and a perfect 16-year-old girl. I'm only staying here for half an hour. But I can see you tomorrow because I'm staying with April for three days. We can catch up".  
  
"Nothing to catch up on", Elliot replied. "Garth has a girlfriend".  
  
"No way!" Tailor said. "When?"  
  
"Just before Christmas . . . and she's nice . . . she isn't a tart or anything. I made sure. They really suit each other, and she's energetic, I think you two would get along".  
  
"Yeah . . . cool", Tailor said. "And you?"  
  
"Nah, I don't want a girlfriend. She might interrupt our friendship".  
  
Tailor smiled. "Nothing could interrupt our friendship".  
  
"I'm happy being single", Elliot said, smiling.  
  
"You've always been single!" Tailor corrected him.  
  
//  
  
When Tailor entered April's apartment Mikey hugged her for the fifth time that day. Leo and Donnie were sitting on the sofa. Splinter was sat in the armchair and Casey, April and Raph were sat on the floor, so they could talk properly.  
  
"Ok, Mikey, you can stop strangling me now", Tailor said jokingly.  
  
"But I missed you!" Mikey said back.  
  
"I know", Tailor said, patting his shell. "But you'll miss me even more if you strangle me to death!"  
  
Mikey smiled and let her go. He walked over to wear Raph was sitting and plonked himself next to his brother.  
  
Tailor smiled and shook her head. She grabbed a stool from the counter and pulled it over to the sofa where Leo and Donnie were sitting. She perched herself on it, resting her elbows on her knees.  
  
"So, my dear, what did you do when you got back to India?" Splinter asked because they didn't make much conversation when she came back. It was amazing how excited she was to see Elliot again.  
  
All attention turned to her, wanting to know the latest gossip.  
  
Tailor's smile widened a little. "Well . . . I was a bit miserable for a while - I'll admit - but dad and me wanted to spend quality time together so basically I spent all year with him . . . then all holiday looking after him".  
  
"Cool! Not fair though! Why do you get all the fun?" Mikey said.  
  
"I don't get all the fun, Mikey", Tailor pointed out. "Because none of my friends were there to share it with me . . . and I couldn't kick your butt on Sonic, dude".  
  
"How dare you!" Mikey said in a nasty voice.  
  
"I dare", Tailor said back, smiling. "And I did".  
  
"I'm hurt", Mikey said sadly, his hand on his plastron.  
  
"Aww", Tailor said, putting her hand on her heart. "Right in the centre"  
  
"Yeah", Mikey answered, his head lowered.  
  
"Aww", Tailor said again. She got up and walked over to him. Bending down, she kissed his cheek softly. "I'm sorry".  
  
Mikey smiled. "And the other cheek".  
  
"No way!" Tailor said, straightening up. She smiled and looked down at him, but caught a glimpse at her watch. 8:00. "Oh my gosh! Mobile!" She jumped over Mikey and dashed up the stairs. Elliot said he was going to text her and put where to meet tomorrow.  
  
The guys heard her footsteps up the stairs.  
  
"Man", Donnie said. "You wouldn't think a mobile was so important".  
  
"Yes", April agreed. "But Tailor has so many friends that to some of them, a mobile is a life line to her, it's the only way she can keep in contact with them".  
  
Leo nodded. "But how many people does she talk to on her mobile?" he asked, resting his cheek on his hand.  
  
"Erm", April held up her fingers and started counting down. "Ok. Emma. Garth. Jamie. Elliot - definitely. Daniel - he's her gym instructor but they're good friends. Probably her dad if they don't write. That's it I think".  
  
"What about us?" Mikey asked.  
  
"We don't have mobiles", Raph said, pointing out the obvious.  
  
April smiled. "She'd write to you".  
  
"Yeah", Casey said. "You know she always wrote to you".  
  
"24 letters. 2 each month. Yep, I'd say she did write to us a lot", Donnie pointed out, smiling.  
  
"We kept them in the cabinet draw", Leo added. "They were so full of detail - and we would never chuck them away".  
  
"Leonardo is right", Splinter said. "We would never dream of doing that".  
  
The others nodded in agreement.  
  
Raph's head gave a small nod. It was true though. He had read and reread every one of Tailor's letters, and every one of them described whether she was feeling sad or happy. He could never do that. Raph would never have been able to put all his emotions into one letter. But Tailor had become a changed person. When she first met them she was strong, but didn't held much confidence. Now, she was strong, and had the entire confidant she needed to stand up to her enemies. Raph smiled a little, he admired that. He admired that she could now stick up for herself and that she realised she would always have her friends to back her up.  
  
"Ok, back!" Tailor announced, emerging from the stairs, he mobile clutched tightly in her hand.  
  
"Sure you wasn't texting precious Elliot?" Raph asked, jokingly.  
  
Tailor rolled her eyes. "No - I rang him instead!" She smiled brightly at him and plonked herself on the floor. "See", she said, going into her dialled numbers and bringing up Elliot's number.  
  
"Lovely", Raph said.  
  
"Innit?" Tailor asked, her eyes glowing with happiness.  
  
Raph smiled at her. That was another thing that had changed about her. Her eyes. They were now full of happiness instead of lost and sadness. They glowed so much brighter than they used to and it made her face look sweeter and her dimples stand out more. He was happy she was back.  
  
Raph glanced at Splinter and saw his Master smiling proudly at him. 'I am so proud of you, Raphael', came a message to Raph's head instead of out loud. Raph frowned confused, then realised that Splinter was just telling him how he felt.  
  
Raph nodded at his Master in a way of saying 'thank you'. Splinter nodded back at his soon and Raph put his gaze back on Tailor.  
  
"See? How much proof do ya want?" Tailor asked him, showing him a text message off Elliot that simply said 'ring me'. She pressed the down button on her phone so that the date and time came up. "Nah!" she stuck her tongue out at Raph.  
  
"Very convincing", Raph said, sarcastically.  
  
"Innit?" Tailor said, again.  
  
"Innit", Raph mimicked and then ducked when she tried to hit him.  
  
"I'm not talking to you!" Tailor said falsely and then she turned her attention to Mikey, who was asking to play on the games on her phone.  
  
"I'm crushed", Raph said with the same falseness.  
  
Tailor looked back over her shoulder and gave him her best smile. "You should be", she said. "But I'm sorry", she added softly.  
  
Raph ignored the slightly shocked stares from his brothers and smiled at Tailor. His brothers had never seen him get along with anyone so well, except April and Casey. But Tailor was like April's flesh and blood so it was very easy to get along with her. And she was different, he didn't know why, but there was a slightly difference there.  
  
"You ok?" Tailor asked, spotting the way he just stopped talking.  
  
"Yeah", Raph answered.  
  
"I'm glad I'm back", Tailor whispered, so the others couldn't hear. "You may not know this, but I missed you a lot, Raph".  
  
"Yeah, you too", Raph answered.  
  
And he meant it . . . really he did . . .  
  
//  
  
(Thank you so much for the reviews! Hope you enjoyed this story! I enjoyed writing it! And I love all you guys for reviewing it! - Personal thanks to Danceingfae - Daydream - Raphielle - Lenniluvsbrian - and . . . anyone else - sorry if I didn't mention you - love ya all! Maybe I'll do another story, I dunno yet - but love ya anyway! . . .  
  
. . . I'm sorry if I don't write another story for a while - it's my last year in school and I really need this time to study for up-coming exams . . .  
  
. . . yours truly,  
  
tmnt_luver xXx. 


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